The Right Path Again
by Haley J. The Bat
Summary: Anakin-redemption fic. Padmé manages to turn Anakin back to the light at the heart of his destruction. He's offered his children, wife, friends, and a chance to redeem his past. Will he get past his guilt and take his last chance? Sequel to Defiance.
1. T-24

The moment passed far too quickly for my tastes. PadmÃ© stepped out of my arms, but she kept her eyes locked on mine. She was scrutinizing me, trying to read me. I didn't blame her, not with my past. I had confessed love to her, then ripped her heart out. I didn't even know if I would do it again. I didn't think so . . . I had learned since then; I knew right from wrong again, I knew when I was going too far.  
  
Finally, PadmÃ© must have decided that I was trustworthy, at least for the moment. She smiled at me, a smile that took over her face, a smile that told me this was everything she'd been waiting for since that day . . . that day I left her. I shuddered at the memory and quickly turned around. I did everything I could not to remember that day, not to remember the hateful things I said, not to remember the things I'd done since then. A dark cloud passed over me. I searched my surroundings, wanting a distraction.  
  
The Emperor. He was collapsed on the ground, his back hiding his face from my view. This was the man I had called Master, the man I had taken orders from, the man who I had respected even when I was of the Light. My stomach convulsed in response to these thoughts. Had I really been so blind that I hadn't realized what was happening to me, what was happening to the Republic? It had struck so fast. Before I could blink I was a Dark Jedi, and I had no intention of returning to the Light. It had been so . . . powerful, so exhilarating.  
  
I shuddered again and turned back to PadmÃ©. It struck me suddenly how short she was compared to me, with my long legs. Height had always been intimidating for others, a plus when I had been Lord Vader. Everyone had been shorter than me, including the Emperor. My eyes trailed over to the lifeless form then switched quickly back to PadmÃ©. They were about the same height.  
  
"I have a plan," I said, breaking the silence. Both PadmÃ© and T-24 turned to look at me expectantly. "You and the Emperor are about the same height, PadmÃ©."  
  
PadmÃ© crinkled her forehead in confusion. "Yes," she said hesitantly. "What are you getting at, Anankin?"  
  
"You could dress in these robes," I said, gesturing to the ones I had clothed myself in. "You could pretend to be the Emperor. If you kept your head low, hid your face from view, I see no reason why you wouldn't be mistaken for him."  
  
PadmÃ© turned the idea over in her mind, studying it with her skills as a Queen and a Senator. She had most likely been in plenty of plans similar, and I knew she'd been in many where somone dressed as her decoy. "What about you?" she asked finally, looking pointedly at the robes I was wearing, the robes she would soon be wearing.  
  
A flaw in my perfect plan. Oh, well. I looked around, trying to find a solution. My eyes caught the silver glint of T-24. "Do you know where the launders are?"  
  
T-24 stood straighter, indignant. "Why, yes, Lord Vader. I know the ins and outs of this entire ship," he said proudly, puffing his chest out slightly.  
  
I tried to hide an amused smile. "Very well. I want you to go to the laundry room and find robes that will fit me loosely, enough to hide my face. Hurry, I want you back in a few minutes, tops."  
  
"Yes, Lord Vader," T-24 said unhesitantly. He looked confused at his slip at my name. I obviously wasn't Lord Vader. At least, I didn't look like him. I wasn't him on the inside anymore. At least, he wasn't dominant. He was still there, lurking in the shadows. But I could turn him off as quickly as he had turned me off throughout his rise of power.  
  
"Please, T-24, call me Skywalker," I said, pleading almost. I didn't want anyone to call me Vader, not anymore, not ever again. T-24 left the room with a nod, and I caught PadmÃ©'s eyes. She understood; she understood everything.  
  
I felt myself collapse a little. She must have sensed it, and she rushed to me, putting her arms around my neck, letting my head rest on her shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her to me. She always made me feel . . . like I was complete, like everything was all right when we were together, because that was the reason the universe was made. I felt like I was a part of a power bigger than myself, something that no one could comprehend.  
  
I breathed in her scent and was reminded of our short time together. A few years, yes, but far too short. I planned on never leaving her side again for the rest of my life. I pulled my head up slightly and met her eyes. A flash of understanding flashed there, and she tilted her head slightly in invitation. I needed nothing more. I closed the gap between our lips forcefully. I eagerly slid my lips across hers, slowly at first, but with ever growing intensity. She returned it with passion, but I could tell she was holding back. I was holding back as well, come to think of it. The time when we could really kiss would have to wait. I had spent four years seperated from her, and I had pent up love from each and every second of every minute of every day of every . . .  
  
The sound of the door opening made me pull away quite suddenly. I was on edge, and I didn't have my lightsabre. Instead of danger, T-24 toddled inside, clothes neatly folded in his stiff arms. He shut the door behind himself and I quickly began to strip of the black robes. PadmÃ© let out a sound of shock at my immodesty, but I simply prodded her to start changing as well. Thankfully, she turned her back to me, and I to her. I didn't know if I could resist her if I watched her, and I had to resist her. I loved her, but it had to wait. I wasn't going to attack her in the middle of the Death Star.  
  
I quickly changed into the clothes T-24 offered. At least he didn't seem miffed by sudden nudeness. When I was inside of the clothes, I relished at the feeling of cloth on my skin. It had been so long since I'd had skin to feel the cloth. This brought on the question that had been popping up again and again since T-24 had healed me. I had been told I couldn't be healed, that I was as healed as was possible. It was obviously a lie. If I had stayed in my normal body, would I have tred the Dark path so willingly? I might have, but I would not have emersed myself so completely. Palpatine knew this; he knew everything about me. I had the uncomfortable feeling that he'd watched me from the moment he met me, studied my moves, used my thoughts against me, made me betray everyong.  
  
It hadn't been completely his fault though. Had I not been a willing victim? I shook my head slightly, wanting to clear myself of these thoughts.  
  
"T-24," I said. The droid looked up at me curiously. "As the former Lord Vader, I dismiss you of any duties you have on the Death Star, and I now am your master."  
  
"Yes, Master Skywalker," the droid responded immediately, as I knew it would. The Emperor was its official master, but now with its death, I was next in command.  
  
"You are to help PadmÃ© and I escape," I said firmly. "You are to help PadmÃ© and I destroy the Death Star."  
  
PadmÃ© gasped. She reached for my arm. "Anakin, no! Let's just get ourselves off of here. We can worry about this another day."  
  
I looked down at her, at her pleading eyes, but held my stand. "No, PadmÃ©. This is our only chance. There are very few Jedi left, very few of a Rebellion, I'm sure. There are millions on this one ship. We can wipe out most of the Dark side by blowing this ship up."  
  
"What about the Emperor dying? Will they still follow his lead?"  
  
"You know they will. A new leader will rise. Not as powerful as Palpatine of course, but he will rise. There will be some who will turn back to the Light, but we have to risk their lives. There are too few."  
  
PadmÃ© nodded. She suddenly seemed to stand taller, squaring her shoulders against the pain she obviously was feeling. "Okay," she said. She shrugged down again, and her eyes became haunted. "I don't want to lose you, not after I just got you back."  
  
I kissed her forehead tenderly. "Don't worry, PadmÃ©." I flashed her my cockiest grin. "I'm the Chosen One afterall. If I can defeat the all powerful Emperor, I'm sure I can manage to bring down the Death Star without a scratch. After all -- did I not do the same at the age of nine?"  
  
PadmÃ© smiled at the memory. She seemed to be convinced of my reasonings. She hugged my tightly, wrapping her body around me. I sighed contentedly and rubbed her back. The moment passed, and we stepped apart, all business yet again.  
  
"T-24, search your knowledge for a way to bring the Death Star to destruction," I instructed, setting my steely gaze upon the droid. He seemed to turn inwards, loosing himself in . . . himself. He muttered little ramblings every few seconds, but finally made a gesture that he'd found what he'd been requested to find.  
  
"The power supply, there is a self-destruct button, for evacuation," T-24 said. "You can shut down all of the ships so there's no way of escape."  
  
I nodded, taking in the information. Finally, I checked PadmÃ©'s appearance, then my own. Neither of us were visable. I just hoped I still leaked out the power that Vader had had.  
  
"T-24," I said softly. He understood this was important and stared at me intently. "If anything happens to me, I want you to make sure that PadmÃ© gets to Obi-Wan Kenobi safely."  
  
"Anakin! No!" PadmÃ© gasped. She grabbed at my arm. "Nothing will happen to you. And if it does, I'd rather die than spend my life without you."  
  
"Understood?" I asked T-24, ignoring PadmÃ©.  
  
"Understood, Master Skywalker," T-24 answered. I knew there was no doubting him. I turned to PadmÃ© and whipped her to my body, crushed her lips with my own. She made a slight noise, then clutched at me in the same urgency. We ended the kiss just as abruptly as it had started, and neither of us aknowldged it. I opened the door and began the descent outside. T-24 and PadmÃ© followed closely behind.  
  
*****  
  
AN: I know it's a little shorter than normal, but I thought this would be a good ending. This is going to be a series, I hope it turns out all right. Please review, I haven't written a SW series before, and I'm a little nervous. Well . . . I'm nervous about all my fics. More so with this one.  
  
~Haley 


	2. Tatooine

"You can't go in here," a stormtrooper informed us when we came upon the power supply room on the bottom floor of the Death Star. I stepped forward, ready to use my old Jedi mind tricks, but T-24 beat me to it.  
  
"You dare to defy me?" the droid's voice rasped, sounding exactly like my old Master. I resisted the need to shiver as fear ran up my spine.  
  
"I-I'm sorry, Emperor--" the stormtrooper stuttered, fumbling with the keypad that secured the room. "You can enter."  
  
"That's right I can enter," T-24 said. "You're lucky I'm distracted or I'd have killed you by now. Surrounding myself with imbeciles . . ."  
  
When the door shut, I nearly burst out laughing at the exact character T-24 had gathered from Palpatine. In a way it was scary, and definately creepy, but I decided to look for the humor in the situation. Things were so tense you could feel it, and my stomach was rolling over in knots. I wasn't afraid, I didn't get afraid and vowed never to again (fear/anger/hatred . . .), but it was a . . . concern for our lives. That was better wording.  
  
T-24 went to work immediately. I stood humbly beside PadmÃ©, who kept her head ducked. Just glancing at her I was even fooled. Was it fate that Palpatine had become a shrunken image of his former self? No, it was the Force. I nearly smiled at this. For some reason, tenseness made everything seem funny to me. I hadn't thought about the Force in a long time. At least, not the Light side of it.  
  
Lights dimmed suddenly. A piercing sound hit my ears. T-24 stepped away proudly. I nodded at him, and we embarked on our journey. I opened the door, and we piled out. The stormtrooper's suspicions had been granted, and he immediately turned his blaster on us. I used the Force to bring into my own hands, then stunned him. I walked ahead as a guard for PadmÃ© and T-24, who trailed along, trying to keep up with my fast pace. I had reasons though, we had to get up to the flight wing before the ship began to collapse.  
  
Anyone who got in our way was knocked down by the twitch of my fingers. Many of them might not have been a threat, but I was too paranoid to care. People were rushing through the halls, and we blended in easily.  
  
When we were close to the door opening out into the ship storage room, there were crowds of people, and it was filling up fast. Screams were sounding, and you could hear people banging on the door. They knew what was coming.  
  
I used the Force to seperate the crowds, and PadmÃ©, T-24, and I all stepped calmly forward. I opened the door and as soon as we were in, shut it firmly. A few people managed to get through, but it was quickly found out that none of the ships were working. T-24 began to work on a keypad close to the door, and I began to meditate, pulling the Force into my body. If we wanted this to work, I needed more power than I could muster by myself.  
  
T-24 rushed up to PadmÃ© and I. "It won't work! The computers have shut down so that even I can't get through."  
  
"I know," I answered calmly. "You take PadmÃ© and get on the closest craft. I need to gather the Force."  
  
"Ani, no!" PadmÃ© protested. "What if they . . ."  
  
"Kill me?" I shook my head. "Don't worry about me, PadmÃ©. If I can survive a volcano, I can survive anything. Now go."  
  
PadmÃ© turned her head to me, and I could just imagine the look of longing. Then she and T-24 did as I said and rushed forward to one of the aircrafts. I opened the doors for them, then shut them afterwards. Cries broke out in shock.  
  
"Who are you?" a stormtrooper asked, coming up from behind me. He was trying to be fearless and . . . a leader? It was almost cute. He pointed his blaster at me.  
  
I lifted my hand and pulled my hood back to reveal my face. "You may have heard of me. I'm known as Anakin Skywalker."  
  
A few stormtroopers recognized me. They stopped dead in their tracks. The stormtrooper that had aimed its blaster at me fired. I turned the bullet around to land in the white plastic. "I don't have time for this," I growled. "Don't bother trying to protest from me. If I have to, I will kill you all."  
  
Anger. Hate. I opted for forming a protective circle around me. I was alone again. I closed my eyes and pulled, making the ship ahead of me a magnet for all of the Force, living in everything. The ship began to light up. I let out a whoop of joy that I couldn't resist, and rushed for the door that T-24 and PadmÃ© had disappeared into.  
  
Shots fired at our aircraft. Jealous shots, that we were getting out and they would die on the Death Star. I didn't care though. I rushed for the pilot's seat. PadmÃ© and T-24 were waiting for me. I began to press various buttons and turn knobs, working the damn thing out of there. We had about thirty seconds before the whole thing blew, and we would NOT be inside of it.  
  
I took a deep breath, calming my nerves. I had to concentrate fully on this. The ship slowly began to move backwards. All three of us on board began to celebrate in happiness as we slipped casually out of the side of the Death Star and deep into space. I paused until the huge ship was just the size of a moon from far away.  
  
Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . .  
  
An explosion that was so powerful it rocked even our ship broke out. Orange fire. It was as though the ship were exploding from the inside. I realized that this was exactly what was happening, but I wasn't thinking too clearly. The moment of peace, of winning, was over too soon. The Death Star was not made of biodegradable cardboard. Metal pieces bigger than the ship went flying. I realized my mistake too late and turned to race away from them, gaining the speed to jump onto hyperspace.  
  
We remained relatively unhurt when we finally arrived in hyperspace. The ship was in one piece and operating fully functionally, so I wasn't complaining.  
  
"Where should we go to?" I asked absently as I relaxed slightly. In hyperspace there wasn't much piloting to be done. The tenseness that had surrounded us was released, and I let out a deep, relaxing breath. It was over. Or at least . . . the biggest part was over and done with. Anything else that came our way wouldn't be very hard to overcome.  
  
"Tatooine," PadmÃ© said immediately. Her eyes became clouded. Her mind withdrew from our connection.  
  
"Why?" I asked bluntly.  
  
Her eyes turned to mine. They were empty but . . . hopeful? "I have some unfinished business to attend to," she answered finally.  
  
"Do you care to tell me what business?" I asked, slightly annoyed. "I kind of want to gather my friends so we can celebrate the good news. We need to notify all of the planets of the Empire's destruction. We still have plenty of work to do."  
  
"We have to round up the little Rebellion that we have," PadmÃ© added. "That should be enough to destry the Dark side that's still present."  
  
"Then we should go to Aldaraan," I pressed. "I was not daft, PadmÃ©, I knew of the Rebellion. With the Death Star it was a little threat, so we didn't care enough to do anything about it just yet. But to the little stormtroopers left, we can wipe them out with this. Why do you want to go to Tatooine? Can we not go there later, after we've gathered the troops?"  
  
"No!" PadmÃ© said very forcefully, slamming her fist down onto the arm of the chair she'd been sitting in. "We're going to go to Tatooine first, and you will not ask anymore questions."  
  
"Fine," I answered reluctantly with a sigh. I wasn't used to taking orders, but there was something in Tatooine, I could feel it even if PadmÃ© didn't feel the need to tell me.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Tatooine wasn't that far away. We arrived at the dusty planet within a few hours. My heart clenched as I recognized the city where I had once lived. It was a painful clench. I remembered my mother . . . Why was PadmÃ© dragging me here?  
  
We landed the ship and evacuated it. I put locks on it to keep it safe. We were going to need it when we left. I hoped that time would come sooner rather than later. I was surprised to see that at every street corner was a stormtrooper, watching the hustle and bustle calmly. I had to do more than a few mind tricks to smooth over us landing there without permission or signing papers. I had a feeling that the name 'Anakin Skywalker' wouldn't be very welcome here.  
  
PadmÃ© began to lead the way. I didn't ask questions, she had become edgy over the past few hours. I knew not to argue with her either, whatever was on Tatooine, she was going to get there, not even the Force would be able to stop her.  
  
She had led us to a speeder shop. I took charge and got us a speeder for free. The owner was kind enough to say that we didn't need money and that we had permission to take a speeder. Hmm, quite odd, I daresay.  
  
PadmÃ© climbed on, and I climbed on after her. She put pulled T-24 onto the side and quickly deactivated him. She turned around to catch my eyes for a second before setting off into the deserts of Tatooine.  
  
By the time I realized where she was taking me, it was too late to stop her. Though I doubted I could have stopped her had I been aware ahead of time. Why was she taking me to the Lars' moisture farm? I held tighter to her waist. She seemed to understand I'd fivured out where we were going and squeezed my arm gently for support.  
  
Before I knew it, the speeder stopped, and she leaped off the side. I could sense her barely contained joy and coulnd't help being curious. What was she hiding from me? What did she need to see?  
  
Instead of going to the door, PadmÃ© turned to the garage off to the side. I sucked in my breath, remembering the last time I'd been in there. I had thrown things with the Force, then eventually collapsed into PadmÃ©'s arms. I didn't want to think about the past any longer, especially not of my mother.  
  
I followed her slowly, a sense of foreboding come over me. Something was about to happen, I could feel it in my bones. The Force was sizzling all around me, and the energy turned up with every step forward I took.  
  
When I finally reached the garage doorway, I stepped forward a few steps, then stopped. PadmÃ© was kneeling in front of a little boy, no more than four years old. He had sandy hair, and when he looked up at me I saw bright, crystal clear blue orbs that I recognized immediately. I stepped backwards, leaning my hand back to clutch at the doorway, hardly believing my eyes. This little boy was almost an exact replica of me at that age. Standing amidst the sands of Tatooine, memories of my childhood flooded my senses.  
  
PadmÃ© reached out to touch the boy's cheek; a gesture that was so familiar to me. Whenever she wanted to show someone she loved them, she always went for the cheek. "Hello, Luke," she said softly, smiling at the confused boy.  
  
My throat was burning. I felt dizzy. "Who is that?" I demanded, my voice hoarse.  
  
The little boy, Luke, looked up at me; he hadn't sensed my presence before. He turned his blue gaze from PadmÃ© and back to me several times before asking, "Who are you?" He didn't seem to be afraid, but merely confused and a little intrigued.  
  
"I'm PadmÃ©," PadmÃ© answered, stroking his cheek softly as she began to cry. "Your mother," she finished, her voice choked with tears.  
  
Luke stood very rigid for a second, studying her, running her words over and over again in his mind. He must have decided she was telling the truth because he put a hand on her face. It was a picture perfect moment. PadmÃ© was crying and smiling with her hand cupping this little boy's rounded cheeks, and his grubby hand was doing the same to her skin. Her tears began to flow faster and heavier at his gesture, and she gathered him into a tight embrace.  
  
This was too much for me. I left the garage, not knowing where I was going. When I got to the front of the house, I saw that Owen and Beru had come outside, wondering about the speeder. They were standing on the porch, looking around. Both froze when they recognized me. I stood still as well, locking eyes with Owen.  
  
Beru shook her head. "No!" she screamed, yanking on her husband's arm. I saw fear in her eyes. That emotion had brought pleasure and satisfaction as Lord Vader, but now her look made me feel dirty and . . . in human.  
  
I ran from them, not able to face them. Too many muddled thoughts to even attempt to explain to them the truth. That I was Anakin Skywalker, not Lord Vader. I used my mind to rev up the engine of the speeder and jumped on before Owen could reach me. He had taken long strives after me; he was going to try and take me on his own, for protection of his family. I didn't want to deal with that now, too much was already going through my mind. PadmÃ© had lied to me. She'd told me that our child had miscarriaged.  
  
I pushed this thought out of my mind. It cut deep inside of me, these lies. I took off on the speeder, blasting through the sand. It roughened my skin, but it felt good. I felt as if I were being cleansed of all these bad thoughts, as if the sand was scouring them away. I closed mye eys against it and used the Force to keep myself from bumping into things. Not that there were too many things to bump into. It was lonely out here, full of nothing but brown sand. When I finally had enough of the speeder, I was in the middle of nowhere, farther away from the moisture farm than I had intended. I jumped off of the speeder and threw myself onto the ground, to sit in the dust that had filtered the air as I raced across the sand.  
  
Then I cried. How many years had it been since I'd last cried? Was it that night I left, that night that I had let the evil take over? I let everything out, and it felt good, better than I thought a few tears would. As Vader I had been incapable of showing any emotion, my body had been burned and scorched and tears weren't possible. It was all catching up to me now, as I spilt my soul onto the ground.  
  
When I was beginning to calm down, a light caught the corner of my eye. I acted on instinct and rolled my body to the side. Where I had been a second ago was a flashing lightsabre, the familiar sound entering my ears. I recognized the color, but still trailed my eyes upwards to the hand holding onto it, and to the man that was staring at me in shock. At the sight of Obi-Wan Kenobi, my former master, I remembered our last fight, on that volcanic planet. I remembered those events that had turned me into Lord Vader. I began to cry again, great sobs that wracked my entire body as I wept for all of the destruction I'd caused.  
  
Obi-Wan looked confused at this turn of events. He deactivated his lighsabre. "What are you doing here?" he asked, sounding defeated and wary. His eyes shown with a tiredness, a sense of someone who had been through so much and was too weak to fight anymore. He was broken, and it was my fault. Everything that had happened was because of my choice, and I know had a chance to face the people I'd hurt in the eye, to ask for forgiveness, to show them that I loved them still deeply.  
  
"PadmÃ© brought me here," I answered, my voice quiet. I was so used to my powerful voice that this meek one was a little surprising.  
  
Obi-Wan pulled out his lightsabre again and held it to my neck. "I don't believe," he said, his voice cold.  
  
I didn't speak, I just sat there. I didn't fight back. This unnerved Obi- Wan, who had obviously been expecting a fight. He put his lightsabre at his belt again. I guess he had realized I was harmless.  
  
"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked, eyeing my newly restored body quite pointedly.  
  
"The Emperor lied," I said flatly, emotionlessly. "He never healed me completely so that I would have to be in that suit. I was half minded, in pain. It was easier for him to convince me of the dark that way. If he had healed me completely, if I had been Anakin, I might not have been so willing a victim. At least, I hope I wouldn't have been."  
  
"You hope?"  
  
I looked up at my former Jedi master. "I guess you can say that I saw the error of my ways," I explained. It was a definate understatement, but Obi- Wan understood.  
  
He nodded in response, but looked unsure, as though he didn't know whether to believe me or not. He decided to let me keep talking, to tell my story. "What brought on this breakthrough?" he asked.  
  
"PadmÃ©," I answered simply. It was always PadmÃ© -- who else could have done it?  
  
"She tried to make you turn before," Obi-Wan pointed out. "What made you listen this time?"  
  
"Things change when the woman you love is being tortured, when her screams are pounding your ears. Then she tells you that she still loves you when you're standing there, evil pouring out of every cell, telling the Emperor to give her more pain. You can easily be convinced of the right path when that happens," I explained with a small smile. My voice had been full of emotion, full of pain. It felt good to talk about it, to make it real, to let others know what had happened. If I'd tried to talk to PadmÃ© about it, she would quiet me and soothe me, telling me that it wasn't my fault, that I shouldn't think of these things. Obi-Wan was just what I needed -- he listened, and he accepted. I gave him a grateful look as he let my words sink in.  
  
"You really are Anakin, aren't you?" Obi-Wan asked in wonderment. He sat down beside me, as if he had collapsed.  
  
I gave him a look that plainly read 'duh'.  
  
"What happened?" Obi-Wan pressed, looking anxious.  
  
I paused for a long time. Finally, I stood up. Obi-Wan looked ready to grab me, to make me stay. I held upa hand. I had no intention of leaving. Not this time. I walked to the speeder not more than a few feet away and pressed the button in the back of T-24's neck, reactivating him.  
  
T-24 sat upwards and looked around in consternation. He gathered his wits and recognized me with a polite wave. "Oh. Hello, Master Skywalker."  
  
I got straight to the point. "I'm about to recall events that I don't want to have to repeat twice. I need you to record them. These records will most likely go down in history, so be honored that I've chosen you, T-24, to take on such responsibility. You have to bury this deep in your memory, you can't lose it. Can you handle this, T-24?"  
  
"Yes, Master Skywalker," T-24 answered unhesitantly.  
  
**********  
  
AN: Kindly review. T-24 is my invention, I hope he's a favorable one. The next chapter should be up within the next day or two. This one was long simply because I felt a lot of inspiration. The chapter lengths will vary though, so don't expect each chapter to be extremely long, but not extremely short. It usually depends on my inspiration. I do hope you're enjoying this so far.  
  
~Haley 


	3. Luke

"You're done, Master Skywalker?" T-24 asked.  
  
I nodded. "Yes, T-24, you can shut down the memory recorder."  
  
T-24 withdrew into himself for a second, then came back with a slightly exhausted-looking slump. "If you wouldn't mind, could you please deactivate me? I feel drained."  
  
"Of course, 24," I answered. I reached to the back of the silver outer casings and pressed the button hidden in his neck. The droid stood rigid, deactivated.  
  
I looked back at Obi-Wan. He was still going over the encounters I had just retold. He was even rubbing his chin. I had to hide a snicker at this. He caught it and sent me a glare. I returned it with a mock salute.  
  
"Well . . ." Obi-Wan finally said with a sigh. "Where's PadmÃ©? We should probably start heading for your ship."  
  
"PadmÃ©'s at the Lars' farm," I said darkly, turning my head away from Obi- Wan. "With a child she called her own who looks a mirror image of myself."  
  
"He does look quite a bit like you," Obi-Wan said. "Let's just hope he got PadmÃ©'s personality."  
  
"Obi-Wan!" I said sharply, turning to glare at him. "Why are you joking about this?"  
  
Obi-Wan shrugged. "Why not?"  
  
"Because . . ." I sighed. "I'm confused."  
  
"You really shouldn't be. It's quite obvious what happened, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes," I said, clenching my jaw. He was being impossible. "But I thought she had a miscarriage. How would you feel if you just happen to see a little boy who looks like you and your wife happens to tell him that she's his mother? PadmÃ© gave me no warning! She told me not to ask. She just dragged me to Tatooine and took off for the Lars' farm. If she could have just said, 'Oh, yeah, Anakin, I kinda lied to you, we really do have a kid', I would have been much better about it."  
  
"She hasn't seen Luke in four years, not since the day he was born," Obi- Wan pointed out. "She was anxious to see him, and I admit she should have told you, but maybe she thought you'd hold her back, make her wait a few days while you got used to the idea that you had a child. Would you have done that?"  
  
"Maybe," I muttered. I hated it when Obi-Wan was right. He knew why PadmÃ© didn't tell me, and I hadn't thought that far.  
  
"Do you want to go back now? We really have to get to Aldaraan," Obi-Wan said, standing up. He began dusting off his dark robes.  
  
"Oh, is there another child I don't know about waiting for me there?" I asked sarcastically, standing up. Obi-Wan gave me a strange look, but I was too angry with him, so I ignored it. I didn't bother dusting off my robes, I knew that it would be pointless. T-24 was too heavy to carry, so I activated him again and told him to climb onto the speeder and we'd let him rest at the Lars' or on the ship.  
  
I took front, and let Obi-Wan sit behind me. This time I didn't close my eyes, this time I wasn't confused or hurt or betrayed. I had reasons to be, yes, but they were all the right reasons. If I hadn't thought Luke was dead, I would have searched for him, and when Darth Vader wants something, he gets it. I would have raised the child as a Sith, and I didn't want that for anybody. In a way I was . . . grateful. It was just a shock, that was all.  
  
When we stopped the speeder in front of the house, PadmÃ© came running down from sitting on the porch. She launched herself in my arms and buried her face in my chest. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around her, resting my cheek on top of her head.  
  
PadmÃ© snuggled close for a few minutes but then pulled back and started punching me. "Don't do that!" she said with each small punch of her hands. "You could have been killed! Do you realize what you do to me, Ani?"  
  
She stopped with the punching and looked up at me with her brown eyes, shining slightly with the beginnings of tears. "Yes," I whispered guiltily, then hugged her again. This time she stayed in my arms much longer.  
  
"Master Skywalker?"  
  
I opened my eyes to see T-24 standing on the porch. "That nice man, Obi-Wan I think you called him, offered to deactivate me, but I told him that I would only allow my master to do that. I am awfully tired."  
  
I sighed and met PadmÃ©'s eyes. She rolled them and let go. I jumped off the side of the speeder and went to the porch to deactivate T-24, as he'd asked. I felt sorry for bringing him to Tatooine, I knew what the rough sand was like, especially combined with the winds. I turned to PadmÃ©. "They . . . know, right?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Owen and Beru. They know I'm not . . . him, right?"  
  
"I explained," PadmÃ© assured me. "Obi-Wan is here?"  
  
"You didn't see him on the speeder? He was right behind me."  
  
"I was too focused on you," PadmÃ© admitted sheepishly. I smiled warmly at her and kissed her cheek. She kissed me on the lips in return. I put my arms around her and pulled her close to my body as she slipped her tongue into my mouth.  
  
"Excuse me," a small voice interrupted.  
  
I jumped and pulled away from PadmÃ©. We both looked down to see Luke standing there, regarding us closely. "What is it, Luke?" PadmÃ© asked. I noticed that the tone of her voice changed when talking to him.  
  
"Aunt Beru says that dinner is ready," Luke said. He gave me a cautious look. "Is he the one you told me about?"  
  
PadmÃ© looked up at me. I shook my head. I was still too . . . too . . . *something*. I couldn't quite place the feeling, but I didn't yet want Luke to know I was his father.  
  
PadmÃ© placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Luke, let's go eat dinner."  
  
"You didn't answer my question!" Luke protested. I smiled slightly at this. Luke wasn't going to be swayed, he was too smart to be persuaded into a change of subject.  
  
"That's a question that will be answered on another day," PadmÃ© answered him firmly, pushing him a little towards the front door. Luke sighed noisily, to show us his dissatisfaction, but allowed himself to be hauled into the kitchen.  
  
I followed them slowly. I was still nervous about Owen and Beru, about the things they thought of me, about the things that Obi-Wan probably told them. Inevitably, I finally reached the dining room. Owen gave me a friendly smile, but I was feeling in a dark mood. I didn't want to be forgived, I wanted to be hated. Hate was a feeling I could relate to. Why had I even come in? I could have gone out to the garage . . . I could have fixed a few things, played with tools. I could have given T-24 an oil bath. But, no, I was stupid enough to think with my stomach instead.  
  
I sat down next to Obi-Wan at the end of the table with PadmÃ© across from me. She sent me a sly smile, then started talking to Luke about something. I was so focused on staring at Luke, taking in his features and his voice, that I jumped when I felt something touch my leg. I looked around, but Obi- Wan was involved in a conversation with Owen. PadmÃ© was still talking to Luke with an innocent enough expression on her face. Then I felt it again, this time more boldly. I grinned into my plate, trying to hide my face. It was an old game for PadmÃ© and me. At the most important dinners, with the most important people, we would attempt to play footsie. We got bolder and bolder each time we got away with it, and nobody ever acknowledged that they knew what we were up to.  
  
The door opened, and Beru came in with a few bowls that she set on the table. The steamy food looked appetizing, and my stomach growled. When was the last time I'd eaten? My eager expression was observed by Beru. She gave me a warm smile. "Eat up." Why was everyone giving me warm smiles? I narrowed my eyes darkly and stared intently at my plate. When I looked up again, Beru was looking nervous. I realized what had shown through in my eyes had scared her, even if it wasn't much. I smiled at her, and attempted to let the smile come to my eyes. It must have worked, because she smiled back, though a bit nervously.  
  
"I'm sorry about earlier," Beru said in a hurry as she sat down between Owen and Luke. "You must understand that we are here to guard Luke, and when we saw you, we panicked and thought the worse."  
  
"Nobody thought you could turn back to the good side," Owen added.  
  
"I did," Obi-Wan said at the same time as PadmÃ©. I gave them both grateful looks, then began to join in in scooping up the food onto my plate.  
  
The rest of dinner passed relatively tolerable. We ventured into polite conversations, and I didn't join in. I ate as fast as I could, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible. Owen and Beru were some of the friendliest people in the world, and this unnerved me.  
  
*****  
  
"I want you two to go out in the desert. Stay there for a few days. By the time you come back, this should all be over."  
  
Owen was the only one who heard Obi-Wan. Beru was crying as she hugged Luke, it was hard for her to give up the little boy she had basically raised as her own. Luke was crying as well. "I don't want to go!" he whimpered into her hair repeatedly.  
  
I was about to ask Obi-Wan exactly what he had planned, since I could tell it was something by his warning to Owen and the air around him, but I heard the door open and close and shut my mouth. PadmÃ© had left. Luke's words, though understandable in my opinion, were cutting right through his mother's heart. I followed her, wanting to offer comfort that I knew she needed. I knew what Luke was going through, I was paying too much heed to what he said, but PadmÃ© was in pain, I could feel it as if it was my own. Added onto the pain I felt was a layer of guilt. All of these back things led back to me. If I had only stayed on the right path, PadmÃ© and I could have raised Luke on our own, she would not have had to hide him with Beru and Owen, would not have been seperated from her child.  
  
She was standing a few feet away from the house, her arms folded neatly as the wind whipped at her hair. She just stood there, looking out at the vast nothingness, even less appealing since it was dark and looked like a black oblivion. Maybe it was this that appealed to her. I stood away from her for a moment, letting her feelings wash over me.  
  
I finally stepped up right behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. She stiffened at first, but I kissed the side of her neck tenderly. She sunk back against me, collapsing. Her shoulders began to shake as she cried.  
  
"PadmÃ© . . . you have to understand," I began softly. "Beru was almost like his mother, she raised him. He's all that she's ever known, he's bound to have become attached to her."  
  
"I understand," PadmÃ© said bitterly. "THat doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, though."  
  
"I know, I know," I whispered soothingly, letting my hand rub her stomach in a gesture of comofrt. "Luke will come around."  
  
"I hope so," PadmÃ© sighed. She turned around in my embrace so that we were face to face. She brought a hand up to the hair behind my ear. "I miss your braid."  
  
"I'm not a Padawan anymore. It would be degrading to have a braid."  
  
"I still miss it," PadmÃ© mused. "I always used to twirl it around my fingers."  
  
"I'm sure we can find something else for you to occupy your hands with," I murmered as I lowered my head to hers. Our lips met, and it was like an electrical shock. How had I gone so long without her lips? And this was just closed mouth . . . she let the tip of her tongue run seductively over my lips, and I groaned. I brought my hand up to bury in her hair and pressed her lips further into mine. My other hand clutched at her body, trying to get as close as possible. Her hands were teasing my hair . . .  
  
"Hey, lovebirds!"  
  
I broke away quickly from PadmÃ©, and turned to see Obi-Wan waving cheerfully at us. I sent him a look of loathing that he outright ignored. I turned to PadmÃ© to see that her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she was breathing shallowly. "We should probably get going," I said.  
  
"Yeah," PadmÃ© agreed. She started to walk, then turned her head to the side to look at me. Her lips twisted in a coy smile. "We can discuss an occupation for my hands later."  
  
"I'll be looking forward to it," I promised, raising my eyebrows suggestively. She grinned and turned back around. I followed her to the speeder where Obi-Wan was packing a few suitcases of Luke's onto the back.  
  
"Where is Luke?" PadmÃ© asked worriedly, looking around. "I don't want him to be scared."  
  
"He's . . . well . . ." Obi-Wan looked nervously at PadmÃ©. "Owen is tending to him."  
  
"I'll go help," PadmÃ© decided. She ran up the steps and into the house before I could stop her.  
  
I sent Obi-Wan a look. "Where's Luke?"  
  
"Holding onto this bedpost while Owen is trying to drag him out of the house," Obi-Wan admitted. "How is PadmÃ©?"  
  
"Terrible."  
  
"She seemed to be doing all right a second ago," Obi-Wan said with a sly smile.  
  
"I wish . . . I wish we'd never met," I finally decided.  
  
Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows, surprised. "I thought you loved her."  
  
"I do. I do so much," I said quietly. "But she wouldn't have to suffer this pain if it weren't for me. She wouldn't have this to worry about. Her one child almost hates her."  
  
"He doesn't hate her."  
  
"I know that, and you know that, but PadmÃ© sees it that way," I said.  
  
PadmÃ© came out a few minutes later, her eyes were spilling over. I walked to her and wrapped my arms around her. "I don't want to take Luke away from his home," she said. "I want to leave him here, I want him to be happy."  
  
I nodded and pulled her tighter. I began to cry as well, feeling her pain overwhelm me. "PadmÃ©, he's *your* son."  
  
"He's your son too!" PadmÃ© said, pulling away. "You're treating him like any other kid. You won't even let me tell him you're his father."  
  
"Look, PadmÃ©," Obi-Wan interrupted. We both turned to him, fuming. "I have a suggestion. You stay here and get to know Luke better. Tell him you're his mother, let him know how much you love him. Anakin and I have to go to the town to attend to some . . . business."  
  
PadmÃ© looked between Obi-Wan and me, then finally nodded reluctantly. "Okay. That sounds all right." She stepped closed to me and put a hand on the back of my head. She pulled me down to kiss me with so much passion my knees went weak. "Don't let anything happen to you this time, you know how I worry," PadmÃ© whispered. I nodded and kissed her again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
AN: You can't even comprehend how ecstatic I was for all the good reviews! Please keep them coming, I couldn't believe you guys would respond so well.  
  
~Hales 


	4. The First Time in Years

"Do you think this is going to work?" I asked Obi-Wan nervously. We were in a small alley way that was pitch black; I couldn't even see him standing beside me. My eyes were trained on the sliver of light that led out to the streets of the city, watching the people walking by. My senses were tuned in to the whole street so I wouldn't miss what I was looking for.  
  
"Would you quit asking me that?" Obi-Wan asked with an annoyed sigh. "Clear your mind. Do not doubt yourself. We can't afford a mistake; it's two against a hundred trained stormtroopers."  
  
"Don't remind me," I muttered. I brought a hand to my waist, where my lightsabre was nestled into my belt. "I think one's coming."  
  
"Anakin! You don't *think*, you *know*," Obi-Wan corrected exasperatedly.  
  
I turned to give him a glare. That moment cost me, and Obi-Wan leaped out of the alley. I turned my lightsabre on, and the stone walls of the alley reflected a ghostly blue. A second later my old Jedi Master was back in the alley with a struggling stormtrooper. I closed my eyes and reached out to the fighter's mind. He weakened and slacked in Obi-Wan's arms.  
  
"What the hell happened?" Obi-Wan demanded, letting go of the dead weight and looking at it suspiciously.  
  
I raised my eyebrows at him. "I've become quite a Jedi, Master Kenobi. Perhaps I don't just exceed Yoda in my mind anymore."  
  
"That I don't doubt," Obi-Wan admitted. "I just don't understand why it was *Palpatine* who finally got you to focus on your gift."  
  
"I'm sorry, Master," I said in very much the same way as I always had as a child. Obi-Wan caught my eye and smirked. He knew I wasn't really sorry, but just saying it because it was expected.  
  
I reached to the side of the stormtroopers waist and pulled out the communicater. I turned it on and cleared my throat into the speaker.  
  
Obi-Wan grabbed it from me and turned it off. "Idiot! Anakin, if you do something stupid like that they're going to follow it through a tracking device."  
  
"I know that," I snapped. I took it back and glared at him. Then I turned it on again. "This is a report for all stormtroopers to hear. I repeat, turn on your communicater and listen attentively."  
  
I looked at Obi-Wan mock-expectantly, and he nodded his approval.  
  
"Two days ago a ship landed in the city, a ship from the Death Star. Darth Vader himself was occupying this ship. I want everyone to be there. Darth Vader wishes to speak with every stormtrooper on Tatooine. If you want to anger him, do not show. That is all."  
  
The communicater went fuzzy for a second. "Who is this?" a voice demanded roughly into the communicater.  
  
I cleared my throat and turned it on again. "Who dared to defy my words?" I asked in a low, gruff voice. It didn't sound exactly like my voice had in the black suit, but it was close enough.  
  
"L-Lord Vader?" a meek voice answered.  
  
"I will be waiting on the ship," I said simply. I turned it off and tossed it on top of the stormtrooper, laying limp on the ground. I turned to Obi- Wan and smiled. "How did I rate up, Master?"  
  
"Professional," Obi-Wan said. "I just hope you can pull this off, Anakin. Don't be reckless."  
  
"You realize it's pointless telling me this, right?" I asked. I began to leave the alley, and Obi-Wan followed behind me.  
  
"I'll do my part; you do yours," Obi-Wan said once we were in the light again. He looked down at his feet awkwardly, then began to speak in a voice lower than usual. "Don't get yourself killed or anything, okay? And I don't want you turning to the Dark side again. It's quite irksome having you for an enemy. I'll have to find a new hiding place of Luke and PadmÃ©."  
  
"Yes, well, you're pretty good at that. I never thought you'd hide him in such an obvious place," I said.  
  
"That's the beauty of it, isn't it?" Obi-Wan asked. "I'm a pure genius."  
  
"Sure. And don't you get yourself killed either, I kinda like you," I said with a half smile.  
  
"Don't worry, we can accomplish anything together," Obi-Wan said seriously, sounding more self-assured than I felt.  
  
I shrugged. "Then I guess I'll see you soon."  
  
"Hopefully." Obi-Wan gave me a slight wave, then disappeared into the crowds. I closed my eyes after he left and took several deep breaths, calming myself by meditating. When I felt that I was ready, I began my walk to the spot where we'd parked the ship before. Already I saw white suits heading in that general direction. I buried myself deep in the Force, wanting to get a feel of everything. I was alone against every stormtrooper on Tatooine. There weren't great chances of survival.  
  
I went along the other side of the ship and used the Force to open a door that was previously locked. This led into a small room at the back of the ship. Everyone would be where they could fit. It wasn't a very large ship, so I expected that a lot of the stormtroopers would be waiting outside.  
  
I sat down in the middle of the floor and meditated, gathering the Force within myself. I needed all of the strength I could get. I was there for at least an hour. Finally, the intercom buzzed and Obi-Wan's voice broke through the silence. "Anakin? Are you there?"  
  
I stood up and went to press the intercom button on the table in the room. "No, I'm not. Do you have the supplies?"  
  
"They were hard to get, so you'd better be very grateful. Yes, I have the supplies. I'm waiting just outside the oversized parking space you're in. As soon as you begin talking and they're distracted, I'll set them off. You'll have three minutes from your first word."  
  
"Three minutes?" I demanded. "That's too little time!"  
  
"You'll just have to deal. You know you can do it, Anakin."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
"May the Force be with you."  
  
"And may the Force be with you," I said fondly. I turned the intercom off and took another steadying breath. I was always so self assured, but these people wouldn't react the same way to Anakin as they had to Lord Vader.  
  
I unlocked and opened the door. It led into the hull where a few stormtroopers were mingling, looking around curiously. I folded my hands inside of my sleeves and hoped that my whole face was covered. "What are you doing inside?" I asked cooly.  
  
All masks turned to me. "Who are you?"  
  
I ignored them. "Go down with the rest. Vader will see to you there."  
  
"I don't think so. We're going to see Lord Vader now," one of the stormtroopers said calmly. He held out a blaster and fired it at me. I casually turned the red laser back onto the stormtrooper. He fell the the ground, wounded. The blaster bent itself into a knot. All eyes looked onto me in wonder.  
  
"You'll see Vader when he's ready to see you," I said firmly. The stormtroopers left the ship through the door at the belly of the ship. I sighed and went to the controls in another room. The ship was huge considering PadmÃ© and I had been the only ones on it. I turned the autopilot on and set a timer. Two minutes, fifty-eight seconds. I shuddered as the seconds began ticking, then turned to the door the stormtroopers had left through. I opened it with my mind and watched as it led out into a stairway. I stood at the top and the murmering all ended. Every white masked head was watching me. I suddenly felt alive again. This was what I was meant to do. I had no reason to be nervous.  
  
"Servers of the Empire," I greeted. My voice was loud and strong, echoing in the enclosed space. I was intimidating. It felt wonderful. "The Death Star has been destroyed."  
  
I paused dramatically. "It was put onto self destruct before anyone could stop it. There were three survivers."  
  
A vibration on my arm. That meant I had exactly one minute left. "Those three were a healer droid, T-24, a prisoner, former Senator and Queen of Naboo PadmÃ© Amidala, and former Jedi Anakin Skywalker."  
  
Everyone looked at each other in confusion. I let down my hood. Those who knew what I looked like in my former life were shocked, and talking broke out. Those who didn't recognize me were told who I was by the others. Everyone was amazed. It was common knowledge that I would be stuck in my black suit for the rest of my life. Stuck as half of a machine.  
  
"The Empire *will* be destroyed," I said, talking faster now. "The Emperor, Lord Vader, and every other important figure on the Death Star is dead. A rebellion is being gathered. You are the only left of the Empire. You can join me and the rebellion, or you can die."  
  
Blasters were pulled out and aimed. I used all of my energy to float them all, one by one, and let them crash back down, knocking out those who had held them.  
  
"Come with me! We have little time!" I shouted. "If you want a chance at the light side, if you want to add to the rebellion's army, come into the ship now."  
  
There were thirteen. I counted them, one by one, and there were thirteen in all who wanted to join the rebellion. I stared at the hundred or so that were fighing with their blasters. I didn't have time to try and convince them to the light side. I turned and set the ship's door to shut behind me. The vibration on my arm began again, counting down the seconds. Five more.  
  
The ship began to start up on its own, and everyone that had gathered looked around in a mix of horror and confusion. I went into the pilot's control of the ship and began messing with the buttons. The ship lifted in the air. Two seconds later an explosion sounded from beneath us.  
  
I let out a whoop of relief. Everyone stared at me, but I didn't care. I picked up the intercom I had set in my robes. "Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan!"  
  
The intercom crackled. "What is it, Anakin?"  
  
"Get on the speeder and go to the Lars'. I'll meet you there."  
  
"Can't even bother to pick me up, huh?" Obi-Wan asked in mock-annoyance. I could sense his grin. "We did it. We really did it."  
  
"I know!" I crowed.  
  
"I'll see you at the Lars'."  
  
"You too, Master," I ended. I shut down the intercom and began to work on piloting the ship again. I ignored the stormtroopers. I didn't want to deal with them, Obi-wan could. I let out another whoop. This time they began to back away. I think I scared them.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The minute I stepped off of the ship, I was engulfed in a tight embrace. PadmÃ© buried her head in my chest, and I clutched her back to me with the same desperation. I felt all of the tension leave my body, the tension I hadn't even known I had. PadmÃ© had a way of doing this for me. She could make the whole world melt away just by a single touch.  
  
"I thought you were going to be gone for days," PadmÃ© said. She pulled back a little bit from my body, but still had her hands on my waist. "What happened?"  
  
"It turned out that Obi-Wan had a plan that . . . well, it was pretty bad," I said, laughing with my last few words.  
  
PadmÃ© giggled in response. "And my favorite Jedi came up with a brilliant one, I'm sure. What did you end up doing?"  
  
"We blew up a few stormtroopers," I answered casually. "Then we recruited thirteen more for the rebellion."  
  
PadmÃ©'s eyes narrowed. "They're safe?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, they aren't going to kill us in our sleep are they? They really do want to be a part of the rebellion? You checked them out?"  
  
"I'm leaving that up to Obi-Wan," I answered. "I'd like to stay as far away from those people as possible."  
  
"Where are they now?"  
  
"In the ship still. I think I terrify them. They won't go near me anymore."  
  
PadmÃ© laughed. "What did you do?"  
  
"I made a few victory shouts. Nothing too serious," I answered a little sheepishly.  
  
PadmÃ© laughed again and rested her head on my shoulder. I closed my eyes and inhaled her scent. She was like heaven.  
  
"Where's Obi-Wan?" PadmÃ© asked.  
  
"On a speeder. Traveling in a ship tends to take less time," I answered. I pulled her tigheter against me. I didn't want to talk about Obi-Wan.  
  
"Mommy?"  
  
I stiffened at the little voice. PadmÃ© let me go and turned to look at Luke. He was staring up at us with eyes so innocent, looking back and forth between us. "What is it, honey?" PadmÃ© asked warmly. I felt jealous. Yes, I felt jealous of my own son, how sick is that? It's just that . . . before, whenever PadmÃ© was in my arms, nothing could penetrate that. She would focus only on me. If somebody tapped her on the shoulder she would turn away, but reluctantly. Yet when Luke said 'mommy' she let go of me without a thought. One word from this little boy could distract her from me.  
  
I turned around and started to walk away. I honestly expected PadmÃ© to come after me. She would have normally, she would have been able to sense that I needed her, needed to talk to her. She didn't follow me though, she stayed with Luke. I don't even know if she realized I left.  
  
I felt anger brew at these thoughts. Anger at Luke for taking PadmÃ© from me. I needed her more than him! He was selfish enough to break her heart, to scream he didn't want to come with us, but PadmÃ© still thought about him before me.  
  
My feet had led me to the garage, and I picked up a piece of equipment. I hurled it at the wall. It hit with a crash, then fell to the floor in pieces. My breathing became ragid. I picked up something else and was about to throw it when someone grabbed my arm.  
  
I whirled around to see PadmÃ©. Her eyes were trained on me, and I shrunk away at what I saw. She was worried, she was concerned, but she was also afraid. I had scared her. I turned away from her. "Go away, PadmÃ©," I said firmly. "I want to be alone."  
  
"No," PadmÃ© answered strongly, as I knew she would. "Tell me what's wrong, Ani."  
  
"Don't call me that," I growled.  
  
"What is wrong with you?" PadmÃ© demanded. I turned around to look at her, a little surprised at the exasperation behind her words. "No matter what happens, no matter what you know, what you've been through, what you've put *me* through, you're still the same. You're going to spend your whole life teetering on the edge of the Dark side. You have so much anger inside of you. I know you can control it, I know you have that strength. But sometimes you are so naÃ¬ve."  
  
"How so?" I asked, my voice cracking slightly.  
  
"Did you even listen to a word I just said?" PadmÃ© threw her hands up in the air. She paused for a long moment. I just stared at her. Her eyes were now full of anger. "Tell me what's wrong, Ani," she commanded evenly.  
  
I turned my back to her again. She reached for my arm and spun me around to look her straight in the eye. I looked down at my feet. "I used to be . . . everything," I said quietly. "I was always put first. Now you care more about Luke."  
  
PadmÃ© shook her head, fuming. "I don't even want you to talk to me until you can mature into an adult, Anakin. I want you to just stay away. Luke is your *son*." She stepped away from me, her jaw clenching. "You're such a selfish bastard, you know that?"  
  
She left, and I hurled another piece of metal. I didn't get as much satisfaction out of it now. It was one thing to turmoil inside, but quite another to have the one person you loved with everything you had spit it in your face, then walk away in disgust. I let myself sink to the ground, and began to cry silently. She was right. I was always going to be on the brink of the Dark side until I could conquer this anger. Until I could conquer all of my feelings.  
  
I felt a presence behind me. I hoped beyond hope that it was PadmÃ©, ready to take me back with open arms. Instead, Obi-Wan stood there, looking at me in a way I couldn't describe. I turned back away from him and began to wipe at my eyes.  
  
"No, Anakin," Obi-Wan said quietly. "Don't hide your tears."  
  
I was too weak to hide them. I stopped my useless wiping and looked up at him expectantly. "Show me how to be a Jedi."  
  
"You are a Jedi," Obi-Wan answered. He sat down beside me.  
  
"No I'm not. Show me how to be like you. Show me how to be void of all emotion. Show me how to control myself."  
  
Obi-Wan stayed quiet for a moment. "I don't know how," he finally answered.  
  
I nodded, clenching my jaw. I looked away from him and resumed my tears.  
  
"What happened with PadmÃ©?" Obi-Wan asked gently.  
  
"Nothing," I muttered.  
  
"Right," Obi-Wan said doubtfully. "Then why are you crying and telling me to show you how to be something you're not."  
  
"What something am I if I'm not a Jedi?"  
  
"You're a human being," Obi-Wan answered.  
  
"Then what is Jedi?"  
  
Obi-Wan hesitated before finally answered, "A robot."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Jedi do not have dreams. Jedi do not feel love, hate, anger, or any feeling whatsoever. We're mindless machines, empty of everything that made us human."  
  
"You're not like that," I pointed out. "You're not a machine."  
  
"I'm not," Obi-Wan agreed. "I'm not completely human though. I'm different from the rest too. Maybe this is why we survived."  
  
"How do you know you're different?"  
  
"I just am," Obi-Wan answered with a shrug. "Qui-Gon was too. Maybe it's an inheritance between Padawan and Master in our line."  
  
"That would go back to Yoda. He seems so . . . formal."  
  
Obi-Wan shrugged. "All I know is that you, Qui-Gon, and I were different from the rest."  
  
"Wh--"  
  
"Excuse me, Master, but Mistress Beru says that dinner is on the table," T- 24's familiar voice said, breaking Obi-Wan's and my talk.  
  
"Thank you, T-24," I said. I stood up. "Does PadmÃ© seem upset?"  
  
"Mistress PadmÃ© has locked herself in the guest bedroom," T-24 said. "She won't come out."  
  
I nodded, and walked out of the garage without a look behind me. I went straight for the room and unlocked it with the Force. I stepped inside and shut it behind me.  
  
PadmÃ© jumped, surprised at my intrusion. Her cheeks were stained with tears. "I told you to leave me alone, Anakin!"  
  
"I know, and I'm sorry," I whispered. I took a step forward. She threw a pillow at me, and I decided that distance was a good choice. "I love you, PadmÃ©."  
  
"Go away."  
  
"I'm stupid."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I want to make this better. Tell me what to do."  
  
"I can't tell you what to do, Ani, you have to *know* what to do."  
  
I nodded. I stepped forward. She didn't throw anything at me, so I was encouraged enough to sit on the bed beside her. "I am conflicted about Luke."  
  
"I--"  
  
"Let me finish before you yell at me," I interrupted, holding up a hand. "I know that I love Luke, but I'm numb where he is concerned. I'm still in shock. I have to get used to the idea that I have a son, PadmÃ©. I don't know why it was so easy for you."  
  
"Because I spent so long thinking of him. I was happy with Leia, but I still longed for my son."  
  
"With Leia?" I asked, confused. "Was there a second lover I should have been aware of?" I joked.  
  
PadmÃ©'s eyes widened. She sat up and backed up to the wall, trying to put space between us.  
  
"Who's Leia?" I demanded.  
  
"She's . . . she's your daughter."  
  
I felt like I had been punched in the gut. The air was knocked out of me, and I gasped for a breath. I ran a hand through my hair. "How?" I finally whispered.  
  
"Luke and Leia were twins. I had Leia on Aldaraan, and Obi-Wan took Luke to protect him from you."  
  
It was twisted. Those words should never be spoken to anyone. I shook my head, trying to clear all of my thoughts. Finally I looked up at PadmÃ© and smiled. "What's our daughter like?"  
  
PadmÃ©'s eyes lit up. She looked so relieved and happy at once that it overwhelmed me. She threw her arms around me, and I sought out her lips. We locked in a passionate embrace, touching and kissing each other in ways we hadn't done since before my turn.  
  
Somebody knocked on the door. What the hell was up with someone interrupted everything tonight?  
  
"What?" I demanded, sitting upwards. I was panting slightly, and PadmÃ© rolled his eyes. She flopped onto the bed beside me.  
  
"Excuse me, Master, but Mistress Beru would like to know if you're eating dinner," T-24 said.  
  
"Explain to her that PadmÃ© and I are *very* busy and wish not to be disturbed until we come out on our own."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
I turned to PadmÃ© after he left, and saw that she was laughing. "You found that funny, did you?"  
  
PadmÃ© shook her head, but continued to laugh. I attacked her and began to tickle her mercilessly. She shrieked, and I let her go. I had ended up on top of her, and she looked up at me with so much love in her eyes that I felt my heart swell and try and burst from my chest. For the first time in years, I was finally happy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
AN: I'm really nervous about this chapter. The first part was all action, and I'm not used to writing it. The second part I'm kind of worried about. I don't want Anakin to come across as whiny, but just . . . conflicted about Luke.  
  
I know a lot of facts are innaccurate, and I apologize profusely. Let's just ignore them, I usually make a lot of mistakes and it's an AU anyway.  
  
Also, thank you so much for the reviews! I can't believe the feedback I'm getting -- it's so amazing. Keep them coming, they really inspire me. I was having trouble writing this chapter since it was starting out with a lot of action, but I suddenly got, like, five reviews lavishing me with compliments, and I set out to write. They truly do inspire.  
  
~Hales 


	5. Journey to Alderaan

Later that evening, everyone except Beru and Owen crowded onto the ship we'd stolen from the Death Star. This time Luke didn't scream. He cried and clung to Beru, but he was acting stronger. I felt like hugging him for acting this way. PadmÃ© would have let him stay had he begged, she loved him that much. But she would spend the rest of our lives pining away for Luke, never finding happiness. I wouldn't let anyone do that to my PadmÃ©.  
  
It would take several hours to get to Aldaraan, so Obi-Wan and I took turns piloting. There wasn't much to do once we got into hyperspace, but it was comforting to have someone on watch. PadmÃ© and Luke didn't like the stormtroopers. I just stayed as far away as possible. I didn't want anything to do with my past life.  
  
PadmÃ© had left to put Luke to bed, insisting that it was too late for him to be up, and I stayed in the pilot's seat next to Obi-Wan, using my free time to begin building a new lightsabre. My old one had been ruined in the volcano, and my red one I had bent in half just recently. A Jedi is nothing without his lightsabre.  
  
I was in deep concentration on my work, but a light snore interrupted me. I looked up at Obi-Wan in annoyance. His head was back in the seat, and he was sleeping peacefully. I nudged him very hard, and he sprung up in surprise, his lightsabre already out.  
  
"Quick reflexes," I complimented. "You snore, by the way. It was bothering me."  
  
"Well can't you watch over the ship for a while? You seem to have no problems staying awake," Obi-Wan pointed out.  
  
"Yes, but I'm working on this. I want this done by the time we reach Aldaraan, and I have to focus completely on it," I explained patiently, gesturing to the handle of my lightsabre. I was working on trying to get the blade to work.  
  
"Just use mine."  
  
"It won't work as well," I protested.  
  
"I'm tired. I haven't had a decent's night sleep in years."  
  
"You think I have? Try sleeping in a three hundred pound block of black metal with a machine that helps you breathe droning out the silence."  
  
"Sounds like fun," Obi-Wan said sarcastically. He yawned louder than necessary. "Then I guess I'll just stay here doing this boring job, watching over this boring ship. Really, I should be getting rest. I have to leave again the second we arrive on Aldaraan."  
  
"Where are you going?" I asked. We hadn't discussed this.  
  
"I need to go get Yoda," he said.  
  
Oh. Right. A sudden image of Yoda's knowing gaze made me shrink back in my seat. I pushed this picture away from my mind, as far away as possible.  
  
I was about to retort when I felt a presence behind me. I spun around in the chair with my hand held out in front of me. Luke stood there, looking frightened. I dropped my hand and tried to smile at him. "Where's your mother, Luke?"  
  
"Sleeping," Luke whispered. He looked past me to the controls and his eyes lit up. "Wow!" he breathed in awe.  
  
I felt a slight pride that he felt so strongly about the ship. I sat down and gestured for him to climb onto my lap. He looked at me suspiciously for a moment, then shrugged and sat down on my knee.  
  
"How does it work?" Luke asked. He let his fingers trail above a few of the buttons, but didn't press down on any.  
  
"It's on autopilot right now," I answered. "We're in hyperspace so there's not much to be done. I'll make sure you get to watch the controls when we get into Aldaraan's system."  
  
"Where is Aldaraan?" Luke asked curiously.  
  
"It's a planet far from your own home. It's a much better, much more pleasant place. It reminds me of Naboo sometimes."  
  
"What's Naboo?"  
  
"The planet your mother is from."  
  
"Where are you from?"  
  
"Tatooine, like you," I told him. He found this extremely funny, and began giggling. "I used to live in the city with my mother."  
  
"Why did you leave?"  
  
"A nice man met me, and he told me I could be a Jedi. My mother and I were slaves, and he bought me off of our master."  
  
"Uncle Owen mentions Jedis sometimes," Luke said, whispering as though it was a big secret. "It upsets Aunt Beru. She starts crying and hugs me. I don't like it when she does that. It hurts; she hugs so hard."  
  
I looked away from Luke, sure that my eyes were dark and brimming with hatred for what I had become. It could only have been me to evoke such a reaction from Beru by one word. I hated Vader and everything he did to my family.  
  
"What are you doing?" Luke asked, unconsciously changing the subject as he pointed to the half-finished lightsabre.  
  
"Building a lightsabre," I said. I sat up straighter, finding myself a little bit more excited. I wanted to share this with Luke. I wanted to share *everything* with Luke. "It's a weapon that the Jedi use. My own lightsabre was ruined in a battle."  
  
"You were in a battle?" Luke's voice was once again filled with disbelief as his blue eyes rounded in awe.  
  
"Yes. Your mother was with me, in fact," I said, smiling at him. "She's quite a little warrior herself. You'd never guess by just looking."  
  
"Do you love my mother?"  
  
"Very much," I answered without hesitation, my voice sincere.  
  
"Have you known her for a long time?"  
  
"Since I was nine."  
  
"Did you know my father?"  
  
"I still know your father."  
  
" *Are* you my father?"  
  
"Yes," I said. My voice was so low I wondered if he heard it. I hadn't expected to tell him so soon. I wanted to stay away from him, but he had sought me out on his own. His questions were so direct, it was only polite to give him an honest answer. I cleared my throat and answered in a voice gruffer than usual: "Yes, I'm your father."  
  
I heard Obi-Wan let out a sharp breath beside me. I guess he hadn't been expecting me to take so much responsibility so soon either. Saying that I was Luke's father was like . . . like closing the chapter. I found that I wasn't so scared of the little boy anymore.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Luke asked.  
  
"I was afraid," I said honestly.  
  
"Afraid of me?"  
  
"Afraid of commitment. Your mom and I have known each other for a long time, and I'm used to just her alone. It was a little bit of a shock for me to find out I had a son."  
  
"You didn't know?"  
  
"She told me you'd died."  
  
"Why did she do that?"  
  
"That's enough of the questions," Obi-Wan interrupted firmly. I felt extremely grateful. I didn't want Luke to know about Vader. I didn't know if he could still think of me as a father if he knew of the things I did.  
  
"Why don't you go back to your mother," I suggested gently. "If she wakes up and you're gone, she'll be extremely worried."  
  
Luke nodded. He didn't seem suspicious that we'd steered him away from questions. He yawned slightly and jumped off of my lap. He waved with soft 'good night', then padded his way back to the bedroom he, PadmÃ©, and I were using.  
  
The air chilled around me.  
  
"S--"  
  
I motioned for Obi-Wan to stay quiet. Something wasn't right, I could feel it. I lunged for Obi-Wan's lightsabre and ran out of the room in a flash. Before I could even think, my lightsabre was flashing and a man lay on the floor, dead. I heard a woman scream and ran for the bedroom.  
  
Inside a stormtrooper had his blaster pointed at PadmÃ©'s head. "Don't move or I shoot her," he yelled gruffly at me.  
  
It was too risky. I deactivated the lightsabre and dropped it to the ground, putting my hands up. "What do you want?"  
  
"You dead," he answered. I felt a blaster poke at my back.  
  
I looked down to where the lightsabre had dropped, wanting to use the Force to bring it back to my hands. But the floor was empty. I looked up in confusion, expecting the stormtrooper to have taken it, when the familiar sound of it being activated filled my ears. The blaster on my back dropped along with a body, and I used the Force to throw the stormtrooper with PadmÃ© against a wall.  
  
He had been knocked out by the force of his fall. I grabbed his blaster and turned around to survey the room. My eyes widened in shock when I saw it was Luke with the lightsabre in his hands. He was trembling as he looked in shock at his hand.  
  
"Where's Obi-Wan?" I demanded of the little boy.  
  
Luke let out a dry sob and pointed in the direction I came from. I reacted quickly once again. I took the lightsabre from Luke and was flashing it once again, not even thinking about what I was doing. Bodies fell around me. One-by-one all of the stormtroopers died. I wasn't even thinking, I was just killing anyone who came near me.  
  
Obi-Wan was fighting with the Force against a lone stormtrooper. I stuck my lightsabre deep inside of his chest, and the body melted away.  
  
I leaned back against the wall, breathing heavily, looking up at Obi-Wan expectantly.  
  
"You didn't even check them?" Obi-Wan demanded. "You could have gotten us killed!"  
  
"You were supposed to check them. I didn't want anything to do with them . . ." I turned my head away as the guilt punched me in the stomach.  
  
"You know you're more Force sensitive than me."  
  
"I'm sorry, Master, it won't happen again," I said quietly.  
  
PadmÃ© came a second later. She held Luke against her chest and looked at us angrily. "Why are they all dead?"  
  
Obi-Wan and I exchanged a look. Finally, I muttered, "I killed them all."  
  
"Anakin!" PadmÃ© burst out. Her eyes turned to mine, and I cringed at their accusations. "You idiot!"  
  
"I'm an idiot?" I snorted. "I don't know if you noticed, PadmÃ©, but I don't think those stormtroopers were the friendliest bunch. They were trying to *hijack* us."  
  
"How do you know that?"  
  
I gave her a look.  
  
"What I mean is, how do you know they all were like that?" PadmÃ© asked. Her lower lip trembled slightly. "What if some of them were good?"  
  
I locked eyes with her and stood up. "PadmÃ©, come here," I said quietly, motioning my hands. She didn't resist, but curled up my arms, Luke between our bodies. I stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. "PadmÃ©, there isn't always good in everyone, you know. I couldn't take a risk with you and Luke in danger."  
  
PadmÃ© nodded and sighed deeply. I felt Luke begin to squirm, and she let go so that he could get down. I kneeled to his height. "The Force is strong with you," I informed him. I brought a hand up to brush a piece of his hair out of his eyes, a wave of tenderness coming over me.  
  
"He *is* your son," Obi-Wan pointed out softly.  
  
"So, tell me, how did you get that stormtrooper?" I asked, amusement twinkling in my eyes.  
  
Luke shrugged. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I just knew what to do."  
  
"Did the lightsabre come into your hands magically?" I suggested.  
  
Luke looked sheepish as he nodded, as though he expected me to tell him that it wasn't possible, that he was just making up lies.  
  
I smiled at him instead. "You're going to be a great Jedi someday, Luke."  
  
Luke looked confused as to what this meant, but he could tell it was a great compliment. He grinned nervously at me, his baby teeth crooked and making him all the more charming. Another wave of tenderness permeated me, and I pulled him to my body in a hug before I could even think about what I was doing. Luke stiffened at first, as though he hadn't been expecting this, then he relaxed and hugged me back, resting his little head on my shoulder.  
  
"I'm tired," Luke said, his voice cracked and exhausted.  
  
I scooped him up in my arms and stood. "I'll put you to bed," I whispered to him. I caught PadmÃ©'s eyes as I left the room. They were shining with tears, and she smiled at me in a way that made my heart beat faster than normal, filled with the love I felt for her and the love she had radiating off of herself.  
  
In the bedroom, I used the Force to remove the bodies into the hallway, not wanting to disturb Luke by their lifelessness. I set my son down on the bed, and I began to pull back the sheets. They had been muddled and twisted from what I guessed was PadmÃ©'s struggle. I smoothed them down and set Luke on the soft mattress. I pulled the blankets up to his chin and kissed his forehead.  
  
"Tell me a story," Luke murmered when I was about to leave the room.  
  
I turned around to look at him, and a thrill crept up my spine. I moved forward and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Do you care what kind of story it is?"  
  
Luke yawned, and I think I deciphered a 'yes' inside of it. Either way, I began a story about a little boy who grew up all his life on a dirty planet filled with mean people . . . until one day he met an angel and her protecter . . .  
  
* * * * *  
  
Luke fell asleep a little ways into the story, and I watched his sleeping chest for a few minutes. It had happened in one instant, when I knew Luke was in danger and saved him. Now I felt this connection and a need to know my son better, to spend time with him, to make up for our lost years.  
  
Luke shifted in his sleep, and I was worried that my presence might wake him up. I left the bedroom reluctantly and went to the control panel where Obi-Wan was sitting. PadmÃ© was in the seat I had occupied before.  
  
"You can go to sleep," I said to Obi-Wan. "I'll take over from here."  
  
Obi-Wan looked up and a moment of understanding passed between us. He got up and stretched, then headed to the back where his own bedroom was. I plopped down in the seat he had occupied and looked over at PadmÃ©.  
  
"He's amazing," I whispered, my voice laced with awe.  
  
PadmÃ©'s eyebrows wrinkled together and a tear spilt down her cheek. "I know," she whispered back in the same hushed tone. "I'm so relieved, Ani . . . I was worried about you. I thought you . . . didn't want Luke."  
  
I twisted the seat around so that I was facing her and took her hands in my own. "I love you, and I love Luke. I didn't ever think it was possible to love somebody as much as I love you. I always felt as if when my heart beat, it beat for you, joining with your own, both of us becoming one because our love was so pure. I thought that it was something you only found once in your life time, if you were lucky. But I feel the same way with this child that we created together . . . it's different though, and yet the same. If that makes any sense."  
  
"It does to me," PadmÃ© said. She smiled at me and squeezed my hands. "I love you too, Anakin."  
  
"I'm sorry about our fight," I said. I brought her hands up to my lips and kissed each one softly while still keeping our eyes locked. "I throw tantrums. You shouldn't have to put up with them, and I'm sorry."  
  
"No, I understand," PadmÃ© assured me. "I know I can't imagine what it's like, what you've been through, but I know it has to be hard, and definately not easy. I'm going to support you and love you no matter what, Anakin. If these past four years have proven anything, it's that nothing can break us apart."  
  
"Not even the Emperor himself." I grinned at her, and she grinned back. There was a giddy air about us despite the fact that we'd confessed our love to each other many times beforehand.  
  
I tugged at her hands, and she let herself be dragged forward onto my lap. I just let her lay there, resting her head underneath my chin.  
  
"Do I need to tell you a bedtime story too?" I asked jokingly.  
  
PadmÃ© giggled, and I felt the vibrations pleasantly against my chest. I closed my eyes and kissed her hair, wanting to express to her just what I was feeling, even though I knew no little kiss could do my feelings justice.  
  
"I'd like to hear a bedtime story," PadmÃ© admitted. I could practically feel the grin on her face "I haven't heard one since I was a little girl. Besides, you need to start practicing if you want to be any good."  
  
"Hey!" I protested mock-offendedly. "I tell pretty good bedtime stories. Just ask Luke. He was asleep seconds after I began."  
  
"Then I'm sure you're simply amazing with words," PadmÃ© said dryly.  
  
I let my fingers at her waist begin to tickle her, and she let out a shriek that turned into laughter. Finally, she yelled 'mercy' repeatedly and I released her.  
  
She was gasping for air, but she looked straight up at me and kissed me fully against the lips. When she pulled away, I was breathing just as hard. Pleasures were swimming around inside of me, and I closed my eyes at the gentle lull of her speeding heartbeat, beating in tune with my own.  
  
"Ani?" she whispered.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"My story."  
  
"Oh, right." I forced my eyes open and cleared my throat, making quite a show. "Once upon a time there was a beautiful queen who had an unsatisfying life. That is, until one day a handsome, multi-talented, incredibly charming young prince saved her and her planet from the evil Trade Federation . . ."  
  
**********  
  
AN: Thank you once again for the incredible reviews. I'd like to acknowledge once more that I know not all of my facts are right. This fic is hard to write while extremely enjoyable at the same time. It's frustrating writing only from one person's point of view. I keep wanting to write from PadmÃ©'s, but that would mess up the balance of the story. Also, fight scenes just aren't my thing. I only write them because I have to in this fic. If I mess up there, don't blame me, I usually rush through them because I want them done and over with.  
  
I hope this chapter was satisfactory. Tell me what I'm doing right and wrong in a review.  
  
~Haley 


	6. King Organa

I awoke slowly. A laziness had taken over my body, and I wanted the moment to last. I could sense PadmÃ© all around me, but not just with the Force. Her sweet, innocent scent was teasing my nose, and her soft hair was tickling my chin. Her body was pressed up against mine, warm and comforting. She even let out a few soft snores every once in awhile. I tightened my arms around her waist. My neck was aching, and my legs longed to be stretched, but it had been so long since a moment like this existed. I held onto it with all my might, yet it inevitably slipped out of my grasp.  
  
"You're sure I can't wake Mommy up?"  
  
I grinned at these words, spoken so clearly from a child who was trying his best to whisper. He had been referring to PadmÃ© as mother, and it sped up my own heartbeat to have him fondly dub her 'mommy'. Luke had been tentative with us at first, but I think our talk the night before made him more comfortable in his surroundings. He had only just met PadmÃ© and I, but his love was severely evident.  
  
"Yes, Luke, I'm sure. You said you wanted to see us return to normal speed, right?" Obi-Wan whispered back. Even he was having trouble keeping quiet. The excitement was obvious in his voice. He wanted to share with Luke everything that he loved, hyperspace and flying; it wouldn't be long before Luke was being trained with a lightsabre by my old master. Of course, the little boy was already pretty handy with the tool. He killed the stormtrooper with one blow. Those things were usually too powerful and heavy for a small child to use.  
  
"I want Mommy to see it too," Luke protested, his voice turning into a whimper. It was amazing the feelings that this child could change to. He could be so happy one minute, bursting with song, but his lower lip could tremble and tears could spill before you could say 'sith'. I wondered if all children were like this, or the poor boy had gotten my side of the gene pool.  
  
"She's seen this before," Obi-Wan assured the child. I noted a slight panic in Obi-Wan's words. He didn't want Luke to start crying on him. I couldn't help it and began to chuckle.  
  
"He's awake!" Luke cried out, pointing accusingly at me.  
  
I sat up, still keeping my arms around PadmÃ©'s sleeping form. "Yes, but your mommy isn't," I whispered. I congratulated myself on being the first on the ship able to keep my voice at such a low level. "She needs to get her rest."  
  
Luke stuck his lower lip out and whirled around to face the window, revealing the swirling colors of hyperspace. It struck me then just how beautiful the galaxy could be. PadmÃ© let out a little sigh in my arms, and I looked down at her. Her eyelashes were fluttering against her perfect skin. Her pale lips were curved in a small smile. The galaxy may be beautiful, but PadmÃ© outshone everything.  
  
"How long before we get to the Aldaraan system?" I asked Obi-Wan, trying to push aside my thoughts of PadmÃ© and become all business-like. There was plenty of time to study PadmÃ©'s beauty now that we had the rest of our lives together.  
  
"We're there, actually," Obi-Wan said. He stood up for a second to mess with the controls that he couldn't reach from his seat. The ship sped up suddenly, then jerked forward with a force powerful enough to knock Luke to the floor. He was too distracted to cry as his eyes stayed focused on the window to the universe. The ghostly, mystical hyperspace was replaced by a star-spangled blackness. The darkness rippled, an illusion, an echo of hyperspace. My heart began to beat faster as I was mesmerized. Even as Vader I had always been captivated by space. It was a feeling hard to describe.  
  
Every time this moment comes, I feel the same thrill. It's . . . electrifying, knowing that you're suspended in air, defying gravity. Looking at the stars makes you realize just how many different planets there are, speckled across the black nothingness. The thrill comes when you feel the ship's controls at your fingertips, and it hits you that you can go to each and every one of these planets with the flick of your wrist, with the pad of your thumb.  
  
I looked down at Luke and saw an awe that I recognized. This child was fascinated by everything that fascinated me, and I felt a kindred spirit in him. I wanted to take Luke under my arm and show him the galaxy. He was the one person who could ever understand everything that I felt, everything that was too strong and too complicated to put into words for others to understand. I could see it in Luke's eyes. He would understand.  
  
I was torn from my thoughts when I heard PadmÃ© make a muffled noise. She opened her eyes and rolled to the side in my arms. I teased her quickly by brushing my fingers against a sensitive spot on her stomach. She laughed, unable to control it. She glared at me, and I gave her an innocent smirk. I loved little moments like this with PadmÃ©.  
  
Suddenly PadmÃ© sat forward, and she studied the stars in front of us. "How far until we reach Aldaraan?" she demanded of Obi-Wan.  
  
"Another five minutes maybe," Obi-Wan answered. His brows were furrowed together as he studied a map on the computer screen in front of him. "We'll get there in no time, rest assured."  
  
"You can't just land on Aldaraan," PadmÃ© pointed out to Obi-Wan. "Get the king on screen, and I'll inform him that we're landing. If we're not expected, we can be shot down without a chance to explain."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, agreeing with her. He began to search along the keypad, looking for the right things to press to get the king on the computer screen.  
  
PadmÃ© stood up and began to run her fingers over her hair, making sure it was still in place. She turned to look at me and a guilty half smile was on her face. "Ani, don't let yourself get into the shot all right? I want to talk to him alone."  
  
"You ready?" Obi-Wan asked, looking up at PadmÃ©. She nodded and sighed nervously. I watched her moves closely. Why was she ordering me to stay off screen?  
  
The computer screen went fuzzy for a few seconds while Obi-Wan continued to work frantically on the controls. Whatever he was doing it must have worked, because the screen flickered and a room came into view. There stood a guard, standing straight with a suspicious expression. "Report your request," he said in a gruff voice.  
  
"We wish to be connected with the King of Aldaraan," Obi-Wan said, standing strong.  
  
"Permission denied," the guard said. It looked like he took pleasure in this.  
  
Obi-Wan looked surprised. He held up a hand and waved it slightly. "You will let us speak to the king."  
  
"No, I won't," came the annoyed reply.  
  
"Try it again, Obi-Wan," I said quietly. Obi-Wan caught my eye, and saw what I was doing.  
  
"You will let us speak to the king," Obi-Wan repeated, this time more forcefully. I waved my hand along with him, closing my eyes and focusing on the guard.  
  
"I will let you speak to the king," the guard repeated, sounding a bit dazed.  
  
PadmÃ© and Obi-Wan both turned to look at me, giving me grateful looks. PadmÃ© kissed my cheek quickly, then returned to watch the screen.  
  
It flickered once more, and a foreign-looking man dressed in royal robes was sitting in a fashionably cusioned chair, looking surprised and intrigued that he was being called to talk with the pilot of an oncoming ship.  
  
Obi-Wan sat up stiffly in shot. "I introduce to you the former senator for and queen of Naboo, PadmÃ© NaberriÃ© Amidala Skywalker," Obi-Wan said, his voice more formal than usual. Obi-Wan moved away from the screen, and PadmÃ© stepped forward. She was wearing simple clothes that Beru had selflessly let her have, but her whole stature radiated elegance. She had done her hair up in a very elaborate way, and she stood straight and proud. I smiled at the beauty standing before me. It was always a shock to remember that she was mine and I was hers.  
  
"PadmÃ©!" the man cried out in obvious joy. He frowned. "But you were captured. How did you escape? Are you okay? Are you safe?"  
  
"Yes, Bail, don't worry," PadmÃ© assured him calmly. Oh, Bail Organa, one of Naboo's alliances. "I'm going to land this ship. It's from the Death Star, but I assure you that everyone onboard is safe and will do no harm."  
  
PadmÃ© shot me a quick, worried glance that I pointedly ignored. I hated that she looked at me like that, like she was checking that I would keep true to her words and not cause Aldaraan any harm. Her doubt was well earned, but it still ripped at my heart whenever it surfaced.  
  
"We'll be waiting for you, PadmÃ©," Bail said with a warm smile. "You don't know how happy I am that you're safe and well."  
  
I felt jealousy flare up angrily inside of me as PadmÃ© returned the smile in that special way of hers. It was hard resisting the urge to step in view and put my arm possessively around my wife, to show Bail that she was mine and only mine. I knew, despite my jealousy, that nothing was going on between PadmÃ© and King Organa, but a part of me wondered why PadmÃ© had strictly ordered me to stay out of sight. Why didn't she mind of Obi-Wan was seen? I felt the Dark force creep up my spine; my anger had invited it in. I closed my eyes and began to meditate right then and there, forcing the feeling away.  
  
"Land the ship," PadmÃ© ordered Obi-Wan, interrupting my meditation as she pressed a button to clear away Bail's face and bring up a map of Aldaraan's surface. She was once again acting like the queen I'd met fifteen years before, using what I fondly called her "business bitch" side. I had to admit, for someone as short and petite as PadmÃ©, she had a sense of power that no one could deny; a forcefulness that radiated off of her, making it loud and clear that despite her innocent looks, she was a force to be reckoned with.  
  
Obi-Wan sat in the pilot's seat once more and began to lead our vehicle onto the planet of Aldaraan, paying close attention to the map on the computer, trying to find the palace.  
  
PadmÃ© stepped up to me and took my upper arm. She shooed away Luke and pulled me out of the piloting room and back to our bedroom. Once inside, she shut the door firmly and wrapped her arms around herself. I recognized this motion immediately and took a slight step forward.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked, putting a hand out as if to touch her.  
  
She let me stroke her arm. "Ani, you have to be prepared to deal with things when we get on this planet."  
  
"Uh-huh," I murmured, trying to get her to move along. "What kinds of things?"  
  
PadmÃ© stepped away from me. "Bail . . . he's . . ."  
  
My jaw clenched, and I turned my back to her. I used the Force to play with a little toy of Luke's in the air, trying to find distraction. "Your lover?" I asked quietly, my voice laced with hatred and jealousy.  
  
PadmÃ© made a noise from behind me. "Why do you always assume the worst, Anakin?" She stepped up from behind and took my arm again. I let myself be turned around to face her. "Bail is like my brother."  
  
"How does this concern me?" I asked haughtily. She had to be lying. Something deep inside of me told me that she wasn't telling the truth, that Bail was her lover and I *should* be jealous. I had every right to be. I tore away from her grasp and kept my eyes level with her own.  
  
"This concerns you because Bail worries about me," PadmÃ© explained.  
  
"As every good brother should," I spat sarcastically.  
  
"You're such a . . ." PadmÃ© trailed off, unable to come up with a name that described me. "What I'm trying to say is that Bail isn't exactly very happy with the way you treated me four years ago. As an older brother type figure, he won't exactly be thrilled to see you. Even if I assure him that you're safe, he's going to act cold towards you. Can you deal with this?"  
  
"I can deal with anything," I muttered.  
  
"You're so childish," PadmÃ© said.  
  
I brought a hand up to her waist. "What are you doing?" she demanded, looking down at my hand, just barely touching her hips.  
  
"Letting you know I have no problem with being childish," I said blankly. I began to tickle her, as I always felt the need to do. Hearing her laugh was like . . . it just let me know that everything was okay, and everything that wasn't okay would eventually be okay. It was so musical, a tinkling of notes dancing lightly in the air.  
  
I let go of her just as quickly as I had started, and she was giving me a sly smile. "I'll have to pay you back for that one, Jedi," she said, her voice slightly breathless.  
  
"I'm looking forward to it," I answered. I took a step closer to her, and she brought her hands up to my neck. But before we could do anything, the door to our bedroom opened.  
  
"Obi-Wan says that we'll be landing in a minute or two and that you two should stop acting like children and come get ready to evacuate," Luke said, quoting Obi-Wan accent almost perfectly.  
  
I laughed at his words and ruffled my little boy's hair. He pretended to be deeply affronted, but I could tell the action made him feel special. I picked him up and slung him around my waist. "Are you ready to go meet the nice Aldaraan people?"  
  
"No!" Luke squealed, squirming in my arms. "Let me go, Dad!"  
  
I dropped him almost immediately. "What did you call me?"  
  
Luke looked scared for a moment. "Dad?" he offered meekly.  
  
I felt my eyes begin to water. "Excuse me," I whispered to him. I pushed past the small boy and went straight to Obi-Wan. I hid my face from him, tears were gathering in my eyes. I never realized that one word could affect me so much. He knew I was his father, I had explained it to him, but he hadn't once called me 'dad'. A little thrill began to play with my heart, and a huge, unbreakable smile came to my face. Luke had called me 'dad'. Not father, not Anakin, but *dad*.  
  
"What are you so happy about?" Obi-Wan asked. He winked at me. "What were you and PadmÃ© up to in there?"  
  
I rolled my eyes at him. "Nothing," I answered honestly, but I don't think Obi-Wan exactly believed me. I retreated into my mind for a moment, going over PadmÃ©'s words. Well, had I honestly thought that everyone would be as forgiving as PadmÃ© herself and Obi-Wan? I didn't deserve them, but I had them. Everything had been so easy so far, but it was going to take a turn for the worse. Not everyone would trust me, and I never gave them any reason to do so. I just had to prove that they could trust me now. I couldn't have fits of anger anymore. They scared even PadmÃ©, what would Bail Organa think if I began throwing things in his office?  
  
I chuckled slightly at the image that came to mind. Obi-Wan gave me a look, and I decided that I should close my eyes and meditate, try and calm my mind for our landing. I could sense the ship lowering, and my muscles tensed up. I couldn't stay in PadmÃ©'s and Obi-Wan's shadow forever. I vowed right then and there to let go of my anger, my guilt.  
  
"We're here," Obi-Wan said quietly, nudging me. He sensed that I was deep in meditation. I opened my eyes and looked at him with all of the emotion I could muster. I wanted to show him exactly what I was feeling, my fears and doubts. I wanted him to know that I was trying. But how did you say these things with words? Obi-Wan's eyes looked slightly damper than before, and he nodded at me. More emotion was in that nod than any words he could say. I silently thanked the Force for our deep connection.  
  
PadmÃ© stood at the doorway eagerly, waiting for us to follow her out of the belly of the ship. Luke looked so small walking behind her, and I picked him up, swinging him on my hip again. This time he cuddled his face in the space between my chest and chin. I kissed the top of his head, a smile coming over my features again.  
  
When we walked out of the ship, we were greeted by the royal party themselves, surrounding themselves with two guards. I recognized Bail, and a woman stood beside him, looking just as official and dressed up in her extravagant robes. She must've been his wife. This brought relief to me, but I didn't have time to feel it. Standing between them was a little girl wearing a gown that looked like it weighed more than her and a headpiece that looked extremely painful.  
  
The little girl leaped forward. "Aunt PadmÃ©! Aunt PadmÃ©!" she cried, throwing her hands around PadmÃ©'s middle. PadmÃ© caught her around the waist and held her, cradling the little girl in her arms. I took one look at them and figured out that this must be Leia, the child PadmÃ© had mentioned briefly.  
  
Bail was staring at me in shock and disbelief. "Anakin Skywalker?" he asked evenly when it seemed that his voice was working again.  
  
I set Luke down and bowed. "The one and only."  
  
Bail made a motion, and the two guards had their blasters pointed at me; one at my chest, one at my head. My gaze didn't waver from Bail's.  
  
PadmÃ© must have set Leia down, sensing the dispute. She leaped in front of me. "Bail, no! Look, we have a lot to tell you. So much has happened."  
  
"She said that no one would harm Aldaraan, and she was speaking the truth," Obi-Wan said, stepping forward.  
  
Bail still looked at me suspiciously. "I want a guard on him at all times."  
  
The woman beside Bail was staring incredulously at Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan?" she finally managed to say in greeting, her voice weak and wavering.  
  
Obi-Wan took a look closer, and shock came over him. "SabÃ©?"  
  
My eyebrows shot up at this. I turned to the woman, and sure enough it was PadmÃ©'s friend and former handmaiden. I couldn't help feeling joy that she wasn't looking at me in suspicion or disgust. It was, however, intriguing that her gaze was trained on Obi-Wan's.  
  
"Let's go inside," Bail ordered, not noticing the moment that was passing between his wife and the Jedi Knight. "I want a full explanation. Then I will decide whether to execute Skywalker or not."  
  
"Bail!" PadmÃ© shrieked, her voice high. She held onto my hand. "You won't lay a finger on Anakin, understand?"  
  
"PadmÃ©, do you understand who that is?" Bail said coldly, turning his eyes to hers. "That's Darth Vader. I don't care if he somehow got rid of the mask, it's still him."  
  
"It's not!" PadmÃ© defended. "Darth Vader wasn't human, he was a machine. He was manipulated and brainwashed by powerful Dark forces. This is Anakin, the little boy I met on Tatooine."  
  
"The little boy who destroyed the Republic and murdered thousands without a thought!"  
  
PadmÃ© stood strong. I was extremely glad for this. His words were cutting deep through me. Every one of them was true, and that made it all the more painful. I couldn't stand to stay here, but I knew I had to wait this out. I had to prove Bail wrong, even though he was right. I had to show that I'd changed.  
  
"The little boy who destroyed the Death Star and murdered the Emperor without a thought," PadmÃ© said quietly, her voice slightly hoarse but still strong.  
  
Bail seemed to be at a loss of words. He stared at me, disbelieving. Finally, he cleared his throat. "Let's go inside and talk. I want to hear the tale of this defeat."  
  
A blaster probed at my back. I turned around to shoot a dark gaze at the guard, but I didn't say anything. It was procedure, I knew. PadmÃ© kept her fingers laced through mine as we followed Bail, SabÃ©, and their guards inside. Luke and Leia were standing on either side of us, and Obi-Wan was walking ahead, his shoulders slumped. I got a sense of pain from him, but I was in no position to talk to him about it. Whatever was happening with him was deep, I could tell, but it would have to wait.  
  
The blaster proded me again, and I had to work to restrain myself. I was tense, I was edgy. I wanted to turn around and rip the man's head off. This thought made my own shoulders slump. I was on the good side again, I was working for redemption, I was where I was supposed to be. But why were these dark thoughts making their way into my mind? Shouldn't it be easy to rid myself of them?  
  
* * * * *  
  
AN: Thank you to Jetso, my wonderful beta who points out the faults in my writing. And thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I'm still astounded by the amounts I'm receiving. Which does remind me, I wanted to add that this is actually a sequel series to another short fic I wrote called Defiance. A few people had questions such as was Vader wearing the black suit. These questions can all be answered by reading that fic.  
  
Thank you,  
  
Haley 


	7. Heated Discussion

We were led into a small room not too deep inside of the palace. The appearance was even smaller though, as an oval table made of glass took up half of the space. Bail Organa, his wife, and Leia all sat at one end. They gestured for the rest of us to take seats starting at the other. PadmÃ© sat beside me, her fingers still laced in mine. I felt the cool end of a blaster on my neck, and I stiffened in response.  
  
Bail folded his hands neatly. "Did I hear you correctly in that the Death Star and the Emperor are both gone?" he asked, leaning forward slightly as though the closer he got the better he could hear our answer.  
  
"You heard correctly," I said, nodding. "PadmÃ©, a droid, and I were the only survivors of the explosion."  
  
"And how am I to believe that this Death Star exploded?" Bail pointed out gently.  
  
"We put it on self destruction from the inside," I explained blandly. "Listen, the droid is still in the ship -- he has everything in his memory recorder."  
  
"I'd rather hear it from your own lips, Vader," Bail spat.  
  
I sat up suddenly, anger radiating from my body. "You--" The trigger from the blaster was pulled, but PadmÃ© had knocked it out of the way so that I was safe. I'm sorry to say one of the walls in the room was not so lucky.  
  
She put a hand on my upper arm, leading my down to sit again. I understood her, and the touch had a calming effect on me. I had let my anger get the best of me even after I had vowed to prove to Organa that I was worthy of his trust. I wanted to hit myself for being so stupid.  
  
"Please do not call me that," I said simply, my voice low and threatening. The name had brought a sick sense of pleasure from somewhere deep inside my mind, where Vader was lurking. I knew that my anger fed him strength, and I thanked PadmÃ© silently for calming me down.  
  
Bail's eyebrows rose, and he turned his cool gaze to PadmÃ©. "You tell me that this man is safe? Did you not see the episode he just had?"  
  
"Nobody is perfect, Bail," PadmÃ© said evenly. "I know that Anakin still has the Dark side inside of him, but I also know that he is strong enough to overcome it."  
  
'If you weren't strong enough to overcome it before, what makes you think you're strong enough now?' In response to the nagging voice, I tightened my fists on the table, hoping nobody could see my conflicting thoughts.  
  
"Really?" Bail asked dryly. "Was that anger a way to show me of his strength? If so, I'm impressed."  
  
"If I can forgive Anakin, why can't you?" PadmÃ© demanded, her eyes steely. "Out of everyone in this room, save Obi-Wan and the children, I have the right to hate Anakin for everything he's done for me. But I choose to forgive, I recognize that he is not perfect, that he never will be, but I forgive him in the knowledge that he truly is good and innocent inside. Why can't you see this?"  
  
"Perhaps it is not I who is blind, PadmÃ©," Bail said, "but it is you who is blinded by love. I feel nothing for this man, who he was and who he is. This enables me to see right through the lies, right through the innocent exterior. You and Obi-Wan are blinded."  
  
Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "If I may speak, Your Highness?"  
  
"Permission granted."  
  
"There is no doubt Anakin is the strongest Jedi, even stronger than Master Yoda himself. Along with this, Anakin has . . . emotions. They are strong, stronger than any I've seen in human being or Jedi. He is so sensitive in the Force that he is also sensitive to everything around him. I believe that this 'gift', shall we say, was used against him.  
  
"Palpatine knew him from a young age, and I have no doubt that he studied every move, learning everything he could about Anakin so that he would be able to easier manipulate him to the Dark side. Anakin sees his faults, Your Highness, I have no doubt about that. He regrets and weeps for the lives he has taken and those he has ruined. Anakin may have been vulnerable before, but he has grown into a man who learns from his mistakes. Anakin will not give into the Dark side again, I will swear my life upon it."  
  
"A few tears does not bring back what we have lost," Bail said. It was clear he would not be moved from his set opinion of Anakin Skywalker. "The Republic was--"  
  
"Dying," PadmÃ© interrupted. "The Republic would have been destroyed anyway, Bail, whether Anakin lifted a helping hand or not."  
  
"But Anakin *did* lift a helping hand, which makes the difference," Bail said. His tone was cut and final, and no one spoke for a long time afterwards.  
  
Finally, it was Leia who broke the silence. "I like him," she said quietly. Her eyes were wide with fear at what her parents may say, but her voice was steady. "He is all right. I feel confusion around him, but he will overcome it."  
  
I looked up at her, surprised at the clarity in her voice. She gave me a small smile, and I was overhwelmed by the comfort it held. I smiled back in return.  
  
"Wise words for such a small child," Obi-Wan said. "You are strong in the Force, little one. Perhaps if your father was, he could be more perceptive and understanding of Anakin."  
  
"Her father is strong in the Force," PadmÃ© said. She met Bail's eyes with her own determined ones.  
  
"I will not allow you to corrupt this child," Bail said protectively. "I don't care what your opinions are of Anakin, I will not let you take Leia and put her in danger."  
  
"Put her in danger of what?" PadmÃ© demanded, standing up angrily. "Of a father who will love her deeper than you ever could? I've seen Anakin with Luke, Bail. You're not protecting Leia, you are stifling her, depriving her of a love she does not know. Yes, you and SabÃ© love her as if she were your own, but you aren't what she needs!"  
  
"I am what she needs!" Bail roared, letting his anger out as he stood up as well. Though he was much taller than PadmÃ©, his height did not intimidate her in the least. She didn't bat an eye at his outbreak. "I am comforting and strong. I would never give myself over to anything to do with the Dark side because I have more humanity, more compassion inside of me than that monster who you choose to defend!"  
  
I bit my jaw, and tried to block out the voices. They talked so freely about me, and it was only a matter of time before I broke in and gave them my own opinion of myself. I caught Leia's eyes again. She had been looking up at Bail, a scared expression on her face, but she was strong and did not cry. I gave her a small smile, and she returned it full force. Her lips blazed at me, and I was astounded at the feeling I felt inside. This child took after her mother, there was no doubt. Her beauty was beyond imagining, and her stature was calm and collected despite the fact that her supposed father was terrifying her.  
  
"He is no monster," PadmÃ© said. I looked up at her, surprised to see that she was close to tears and her voice was wavering. She seemed to be affected more by Bail's words than I, and this gave me a strange feeling in my heart. "He is as much of a man as you. More so even, because he can accept change. You are so set in your mind that you can't even comprehend what we're offering you. Anakin is the best Jedi to ever exist in this galaxy. He is the Chosen One, he has beaten the Emperor for Force's sake! He has come to help with the Rebellion, to help build a new Republic, one that will work this time. You are sitting here with a mind set that you know will never be broken. You brought him inside knowing that you would execute him in the end."  
  
PadmÃ©'s eyes were full of emotion and a single tear fell down her cheek. "Please, Bail, listen to what Obi-Wan and I are saying. We know Anakin better than anyone, we know that he is good. Did you hear what Leia said? The young are pure in the Force and see more clearly. There is a chance for my love, and I believe that he will take it. For me, Bail, do not kill my last chance at happiness."  
  
Bail's mouth opened and closed several times in the echoing silence after PadmÃ©'s speech. I was shocked at the feeling behind her words, I had never thought anyone could feel so strongly for me after everything I'd done. I reached a hand up and held her fingers. I squeezed lightly, and she looked down at me with her eyes shining with tears. I sent her comfort and reassurance through the Force, and was relieved to feel her relax slightly, the air around her lessening in tension.  
  
"He will not be executed," Bail finally said. His voice was so quiet I wasn't sure I'd heard him right. He was looking down at the table, a defeated look to him as his head fell against the cool glass. "I will listen to your pleas, Amidala, but I want you to know that if he turns against us, if he betrays us all and kills again, each life he takes will lie heavily on your shoulders for it will be because of you he is let loose on the galaxy."  
  
"Bail--"  
  
"I will retire now," Bail said firmly, standing up. A guard was immediately by his side. "You can stop guarding that one," he said, nodding to me. "These people think he is safe."  
  
The blaster left my neck again, and I immediately rubbed furiously at the skin there. The room went silent after Bail's departure, and everyone was left to their own respected thoughts. I began to wonder . . . if Bail was so determined not to forgive me or even accept my help, how would everyone else act?  
  
SabÃ© stood up suddenly, bringing all eyes to her form. "I want you to know, Anakin, that I can accept all of this, but I will not forgive you, and I don't think I ever can."  
  
I nodded at her. It surprisingly cut deeper than any of the nasty things Bail had been spitting in my face. SabÃ© and I had been friends. "Thank you. It is more than I deserve."  
  
SabÃ© looked surprised at my answer, but she didn't say anything more on that subject. She held out a hand for Leia. "Come, Leia, we will retire as well now."  
  
Leia stood up beside her mother. She took one last look around the table, then followed SabÃ© out of the room.  
  
PadmÃ© let out an angry snort. "Can you believe him?" she demanded. "He thinks he is so superior. We are offering him help that he can't refuse!"  
  
"PadmÃ©," I said gently, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't rant, okay? It's understandable, and I don't hold anything against him."  
  
"Leia is my child," PadmÃ© said, her voice wavering slightly. "I will not listen to Bail. He doesn't care about her! He ignores her half the time! Why should it matter now . . .?"  
  
"PadmÃ©, why don't we go to bed now too," Obi-Wan suggested. "I'm leaving in the morning, and I require a full night's sleep."  
  
"Where are you going?" I asked, snapping my head to look at him. If Obi-Wan was leaving, how was I going to survive? I needed his support. "You didn't mention anything about this."  
  
"I did," Obi-Wan countered. "I need to go to Dagobah. Maybe when we get Yoda onto the planet Bail will be more accepting of your presence."  
  
"Unless Yoda himself is not accepting," I reminded him. "You can't assume that everyone is going to welcome me with open arms just because you two did. SabÃ©, with whom I was relatively close to . . . well, you heard what she said."  
  
Obi-Wan sighed and began to rub at his temples. "Anakin, Yoda will accept your presence. He is a Jedi, he can't deny the power radiating off of you, the pureness. As I said, I would bet my life that you'd never return to the Dark side."  
  
I looked away from Obi-Wan's gaze, filled with friendship and love. I wish I could say he was right, but whatever feeling he got off of me was entirely wrong. I was split in half. It was harder and harder to block out Vader, to shut him off as he had done to me so many times. His voice became louder, more insistant. I could resist him now, but would I be able to if he got any stronger?  
  
* * * * *  
  
I laid in bed for a long time alone. PadmÃ© had assumed I'd gone to sleep, and she left in the middle of the night. I didn't ask her where she was going, and I pretended not to care. I spent an hour or two alone in the dark, left to brood by myself.  
  
I had gotten a sense from Obi-Wan that I didn't like. Pain was surfacing on his mind, and even a little joy, but he had barriers up, keeping me from probing too deep inside. Obi-Wan had never been like this before. He was acting so . . . secretive. Obi-Wan never had secrets before. I analized my memories from arriving on Aldaraan carefully, but I still couldn't quite place what it was that was upsetting my old master.  
  
Once I decided that it was hopeless to try and figure out what Obi-Wan was distressed about until he chose to told me, I let my mind drift on to a new topic. I respected Bail for speaking the truth that everyone else was too afraid to say, but I didn't like his character. He should have given me a fair trial, and not just listened to a girl's plea. Granted, I wasn't complaining, but I still thought he was a . . . pansy -- all talk. He had strong words, but I could sense he wasn't as strong on the inside.  
  
I once again changed topics and began to remember Leia. She would grow up to be as beautiful as PadmÃ©. I found it strange that Luke was so much like myself, and Leia so much like PadmÃ©. Speaking of PadmÃ© . . .  
  
I sat up slightly in bed and looked at the clock. She had been gone for an hour and a half. Suspicions began to rise inside of me. Who could she be meeting so late? I angrily tore through the minds in the palace, searching for my wife through the Force. Her light came to me at once, and I let out a relieved sigh. She was in SabÃ©'s bedroom. It struck me odd that SabÃ© and Bail did not share the same living quarters, but I could see from the way they acted around each other that not everything was right. If he didn't see that something was happening with SabÃ© and Obi-Wan then he was clueless.  
  
SabÃ© and Obi-Wan! I thanked the Force that I had figured it out on my own. Of course it had something to do with the former handmaiden. I didn't know quite what just yet -- but whatever it was it affected SabÃ© as well.  
  
". . . to get to me? He really did that . . .?"  
  
I narrowed my eyes at the words that I had caught from whatever it was that SabÃ© and PadmÃ© were discussing. PadmÃ©'s voice was hurt and breaking, I wanted to know what had caused it.  
  
". . . why did you not tell me before? I would have . . ."  
  
PadmÃ© must have sensed I was prying into her conversation because suddenly I was blocked out of their voices. I groaned. I should never have taught PadmÃ© Jedi mind tricks. True, she wasn't very strong in the Force, but over the years she had begun to sense my intrusions in her mind and was finally able to block me out.  
  
I plopped backwards on the bed. It wouldn't be long before PadmÃ© entered the bedroom, furious. I could already feel the anger growing closer. She hated it when I listened to her thoughts and feelings. I couldn't really blame her, but it had happened on accident.  
  
Sure enough, the door flew open and PadmÃ© stood there, breathing hard. "You were in my mind again," she said, shutting the door as she stepped into the room.  
  
"I didn't mean to," I said quickly. "I was worried and sought out your presence. A few words entered my mind."  
  
"What all did you hear?" PadmÃ© demanded, an underlying sense of fear beneath her words.  
  
This struck me as odd. I clenched my jaw and glared at her. "I heard enough," I said, turning my head away from her. If it worked right, somehow I could get her to tell me what she'd been discussing.  
  
"Anakin, you're so funny," PadmÃ© said. Her voice was amused as she sat down on the bed beside me, and I turned my face back to hers. "I know you didn't hear anything. This would not be your reaction if it were so."  
  
"What were you discussing?" I asked pleadingly. It really irked me that she didn't tell me. We were supposed to share everything.  
  
PadmÃ© looked guiltily down at her hands as she played with the fabric of the blanket. "I'm sorry, Ani, I wish I could, but it is not my business to tell. SabÃ© must first come to terms with it herself before she lets anyone else know. As a matter of fact, I was having quite a nice chat with her before you interrupted. SabÃ© is confused, and she needs me right now."  
  
"What happened between her and Obi-Wan?"  
  
PadmÃ© gasped. "How do you know . . .?"  
  
"I'm not blind. Something is happening between them, PadmÃ©."  
  
PadmÃ© sighed defeatedly and laid down fully on the mattress beside me. She turned on her side so that we were facing each other. "I'm so tired, Anakin. I want this day to be over with. So much has happened."  
  
"I know," I murmered comfortingly as I brought a hand up to stroke her soft cheek. "Did you and SabÃ© discuss what would happen with Leia?"  
  
PadmÃ© nodded. "Leia is too smart for her own good. SabÃ© has been teaching her a few things about the Force. She will sense soon enough that something is wrong if we don't tell her."  
  
"When are you going to tell her?"  
  
"That all depends on Bail," PadmÃ© admitted. She sighed again and put a hand on my waist to draw me closer against her. "I thought he was a good man, Ani, but he is a fool."  
  
"He just holds a grudge. He's protecting his family."  
  
"They are not his family. They feel no more for him than he feels for them."  
  
"But SabÃ©--"  
  
"Is in love with another man," PadmÃ© interrupted gently. She began to stroke the skin on my side. "That would be what you sensed between her and Obi-Wan."  
  
My eyebrows shot up, and I couldn't help grinning. "You don't say. Obi-Wan never struck me as the type to have an affair with a married woman."  
  
"She wasn't married when they fell in love," PadmÃ© said. "That's their problem. SabÃ© didn't think she'd ever see Obi-Wan again, and she could not refuse a proposal of a king. Now that Obi-Wan is back, she is reminded of how horrible her marriage has been with a man she does not love. She can't break out of it though. She longs for Obi-Wan though, I know. Even when he was gone, sometimes I'd go into her bedroom at night to find her weeping. I always knew she was weeping for him."  
  
I thought about my master, and I couldn't help a seed of doubt. It seemed impossible that a man like Obi-Wan could ever fall in love. Much less with one of PadmÃ©'s handmaidens. I shook my head and burried a hand in PadmÃ©'s hair, wanting to distract myself. I could examine my master later. Right now, I had other intentions.  
  
PadmÃ© let herself be drawn into a kiss, and we both lost ourselves. After a while, our kisses became more heated, more passionate. Her hand tugged slightly at the waistband of my pants. I pulled away from her suddenly, overwhelmed. I was trembling. It had been so long since I'd made love to PadmÃ©, and I wanted this to be special, to be perfect.  
  
PadmÃ© sensed my dismay, and she rested her head on my chest. "I love you, Anakin."  
  
"I know. I love you too," I whispered back, huskily. "I'm just not sure . . . Does this feel right for you?"  
  
PadmÃ© put a hand on either side of my chest and propped herself up, letting her hair fall in a frame around our faces. She kissed the corner of my mouth, then began to nuzzle my neck, her hair tickling my skin. As she buried her face against my skin, I heard her mumbled words. "It feels right. It always feels right."  
  
I closed my eyes and soon found myself kissing her again. She was right. Anything in her arms was right. I let myself be swallowed up in the passion, wanting to let myself go inside of PadmÃ©, to let loose. Our souls joined as one again, and I felt the connection that had lessened over the years. Now it was back in full force, and I basked in the joy it brought. I was never anything unless PadmÃ© was beside me, inside of my very heart.  
  
After our lovemaking, she nestled into my side underneath the covers, and I lay awake, thinking. Being with PadmÃ© again only furthered my earlier resolve to be what she wanted, to block out the anger. The power that surged from our connection was more than enough to help block out Vader. I felt stronger when my love was beside me, and it struck me then as clear as crystal that I could accomplish anything. I could be a man again. I could build the new Republic. I could rid the galaxy of any remnants of the Empire. While without PadmÃ© I was nothing, with her I was everything.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
AN: I hope nobody is offended by the last few paragraphs in this story. I also hope you all react to the same way with the entire fic. I know that the first half was mostly dialogue between PadmÃ© and Bail, and I'm not sure how everyone is going to react to that.  
  
Also, if you want more detail on the SabÃ©/Obi affair, I've started a new fic, Impossible, that goes from the beginning and will eventually catch up in time frame with The Right Path Again.  
  
Sorry it took so long to update this. I just had temporary writer's block. Hopefully over the summer I'll have more time so I can update as often as I have been.  
  
Thank you once again for the reviews, and let's thank Jetso for beta-ing.  
  
~Haley 


	8. Strained Relationships

I awoke long before I opened my eyes. But I sat for the longest time in the early morning holding PadmÃ© close to my chest, basking in the warmth radiating from her. I still felt that sense of power, and it was unlike anything I'd felt before. When I went to the Dark side, power had fed and cared for me, letting me settle in its comforting grasp. I was blinded by that power, unable to see what it made me do, what penance I paid to keep it flowing through me, to keep those warm hands around me, keeping me safe.  
  
The power from PadmÃ© was different. For the first time in weeks, I felt as if Vader had fully vanished from my mind, as if I were free again. I hadn't felt that way for four, maybe five years. He'd always been there, always had been a part of me. Now his voice quieted, and I found the silence delicious and more satisfying than any power I'd felt from Darkness. The feeling that PadmÃ© gave me was like . . . courage. I felt that I could do anything I wanted to, *without* the help of Vader, of the blackness so consuming. I don't think I've ever felt like that before.  
  
The warm body pressed against my own began to stir, and I cursed the daylight for intruding on the night PadmÃ© and I had shared. She made a soft noise, like a sigh, and I couldn't help the brilliant smile that lit up my face. When I looked down at her head, her warm brown eyes met my own, and a sleepy smile was returned to my own. She gave me a kiss on the cheek, then murmered something that sounded like 'good morning'.  
  
"What time is it?" PadmÃ© asked, sitting up and effectively removing my body from her own. I felt loss, and my skin cried out to touch hers again, but I didn't give in.  
  
"The sun only rose about an hour ago," I answered, nodding towards the window in our room as I sat up next to her. "I don't know standard Alderaan time."  
  
PadmÃ© nodded, acknowledging my answer. There was an awkwardness between us that was frustrating and wonderful at the same time. It was almost as if last night had been our first time, like we were new lovers again. I let my gaze run over her, taking in everything about her, engraving this picture in my mind for all of eternity. She met my brown eyes nervously, flushed, then looked away. I tried not to chuckle at her discomfort.  
  
"Did you sleep well?" PadmÃ© asked, sounding distracted as she stared at the wall.  
  
"Mmm-hmm. And you?" I asked.  
  
PadmÃ© dared to look at my eyes. She was shy and innocent, an endearing sight. "I slept peacefully," she said softly. She was feeling something along the lines of what I was, a wonder and calm, a sudden completion, I could see it in her eyes. It was almost as if I had gone for so long as a half-empty shell, not even realizing it. But now that I was with PadmÃ© again, the shell was filled with a bright light, and I felt happy and . . . complete.  
  
I cocked my head, feeling a tremor in the Force that distracted me momentarily from PadmÃ©. It came from Obi-Wan, a shock of sudden sadness that was so powerful I felt as if it was I who was feeling it. Loss cut through him, tearing at my own heart, and then anger began to flow, gently at first, but gather more power with each passing second. He suppressed it, and he blocked his mind from the Force, disconnecting me from everything he was feeling.  
  
"What's wrong?" PadmÃ© demanded, holding onto my arm. Whatever it was that came from Obi-Wan must have showed up on my face, and I sent my wife a reassuring smile.  
  
"Something's wrong with Obi-Wan," I answered softly. I closed my eyes and reached out with the Force, hoping that somehow I could re-establish that connection. It was in vain; Obi-Wan didn't want me to share in his thoughts, and I had a feeling that his walls were up tightly, shielding me in particular from whatever it was that troubled him.  
  
PadmÃ© looked away, and I had a sneaking suspicion that she knew something. Before I could question her, though, the door opened with a swoosh sound. Standing there with his hands on his hips was Luke.  
  
"I feel bad," he said, coming forward. He began to climb onto the bed, and I felt a sense of intrusion invade me. I resisted the urge to push him off the bed and tell him to go away. "I feel sad."  
  
"What's wrong?" PadmÃ© asked. Luke climbed into the space between PadmÃ© and I, and she began to stroke his hair as he laid down on the pillows.  
  
"I don't know!" Luke said, frustrated. "I just woke up because I feel sad. I started to cry. Then I felt . . . I felt really, really bad."  
  
I wanted to get out of bed so that I could go to Obi-Wan, to see and comfort my old master, but I didn't want to scar Luke for life by seeing his father jump naked out of bed. Instead I settled for giving PadmÃ© a meaningful look that she chose to ignore for the time being. She was too worried about her child.  
  
"What is it?" she asked me. She could tell by my panicked look that I knew what it was.  
  
"It's nothing," I answered, trying to reassure her. "Just his Force-sense. Obi-Wan's signature was powerful, and even though Luke's senses aren't that attuned, it upset him greatly. You try and comfort him while I go see what's wrong."  
  
"Do you feel anything else?"  
  
"No. He's blocking me."  
  
"Ani . . . maybe you should just let him be for now."  
  
"You know what it is."  
  
"I may."  
  
"You're not going to tell me."  
  
"It's not my place."  
  
I began to climb out of bed, bring the top cover with me to wrap around my waist. "I'm going to go see Obi-Wan. He's leaving for Dagobah sometime soon anyway, and I want to say good bye."  
  
I tried to ignore the foreboding I felt coming from my wife, and I dressed in the robes I had worn the day before, big baggy robes that Owen had lent me. The man was burly and large while I was skinny and leanly muscled, so I looked like a clown in the clothes.  
  
Once I was fully dressed, and Luke was snoring softly beside his mother, I gave her a small, quick smile, and left the room. I headed straight for the dock; Obi-Wan may have been shutting me out, but I could still sense him, could tell his location.  
  
Obi-Wan was standing by a small one-man ship, looking out at the cloudy blue skies of Alderaan. Now that I was close enough, his barriers weren't as tight, I could peer through cracks. What I felt almost scared me. There was a deep pit of sadness, all directed towards SabÃ©. Even more so, there was anger.  
  
Obi-Wan knew I was there, how could he not? He ignored me though, and continued to stare out at the sky, purposefully keeping quiet. His jaw clenched and unclenched, and he was undecided, unsure about what to do with my presence there.  
  
"What happened?" I asked quietly, tentatively.  
  
Obi-Wan whirled around. His eyes were holding an emotion I couldn't explain, nothing I had ever seen in my master's eyes before. "Leave me alone," he hissed, eyes narrowing threatingly.  
  
I backed up a few feet, holding my hands up in a sign of innocence. "I just came to see you off . . ."  
  
"Go!" Obi-Wan said more forcefully. He took an intimidating step forward, and I left without a thought. Perhaps I rivaled Obi-Wan in strength, but I had more respect for him than to try and prove it. Whatever was hurting Obi- Wan I could find out from PadmÃ©.  
  
I was walking so fast, and I was so distracted in my thoughts, that I didn't even notice an approaching figure. I ran right into something, and suddenly I was pushed up against a wall, blaster on my forehead.  
  
I returned from my thoughts in confusion only to realize that there was a guard holding me to the wall, and that Bail Organa was standing behind him, quiet rage showing in his eyes.  
  
"Sorry," I said quickly. The blaster was pressed further into my skin, and I was jerked hard. "I didn't see you."  
  
"I noticed," Bail said dryly. He leaned forward. "Now that we're alone, Skywalker, I'd like to get a few things straight with you."  
  
"Yes?" I asked, dread overcoming me. What kinds of thing was Bail going to say? I didn't know if I could hold up against his degrading words without PadmÃ© beside me, defending me loyally.  
  
Bail pushed the guard to the side but grabbed the blaster. He pressed it to my heart, and a sickening smile came to his face. He pushed hard into my skin, and I tensed up, but I didn't flinch. I kept my eyes trained on him, showing him that I would not back down. "I don't think PadmÃ© will be too happy with you if you kill me," I said pointedly.  
  
Bail raised his eyebrows. "I don't plan on killing you," he said. "I just want to give you a warning. I want to inform you of a few things."  
  
"I'm listening."  
  
Bail used his elbow to hit me in the stomach, and this time I did flinch, moving to protect my stomach involuntarily. In response, Bail pulled the blaster away, then swung it hard against my cheek. I could feel the Dark Force, tingling at my fingertips, willing me to let this man have it, to pay him back for the brief moments of pain he was causing me. Vader was back, taunting me, telling me I was a coward, that I shouldn't accept such treatment.  
  
"Get it over with," I spat out between gritted teeth.  
  
Bail must have seen it in my eyes, because he pulled away in a moment of fear. He put the guard between us, wanting the protection. His demanor was cold and collected, the perfect politician. He held his hands behind his back and met my eyes, not wavering though I assume mine were filled with hatred and Darkness.  
  
"I want you to know that I care about PadmÃ© as if she were my own blood," Bail began. "If I find out that you hurt her again . . . not even the Blackest of your powers can stop me from killing you, I assure you."  
  
I nodded. "Point taken."  
  
"Leia is mine."  
  
"Leia is PadmÃ©'s," I corrected. I snorted. "If you think you can protect her from her own parents, you're unbelievably wrong. She's Force-sensitive -- you can't hide anything from her as she grows into her gift."  
  
"Leia is the one thing that SabÃ© has left," Bail said, his voice quiet. I was surprised to hear compassion and . . . sadness. I straightened, trying to get a better look at the king behind the guard blocking me. "SabÃ© has had a lifetime of unhappiness, and I don't want you to take away her daughter."  
  
I didn't know what to say to that. I wanted to blurt out that Leia was ours, to give him some cold comeback. But he had brought SabÃ© into the picture. SabÃ© had been my friend, I cared about her even though I hadn't seen her for years. It seemed so long ago when she used to stop by on weekends at PadmÃ©'s and my house on Coruscant. The person I had seen the day before was a shell of the vibrant woman I once knew. I didn't want to take away her last link, her last love.  
  
"Are you done?" I asked finally, the silence getting to me.  
  
Bail met my eyes again. His politian exterior was back in place. "I'm going to be watching you. One bad move and I can have you executed, regardless of PadmÃ©'s opinion on the matter."  
  
That I didn't doubt. He left with his guard, and I watched his retreating back, contemplating this man. I had known him briefly before, but I never imagined that the person revealed to me in the past days was present. He was a shocking, complicated man, and I didn't think even I could figure him out. He seemed so heartless, so cruel, and PadmÃ© had made a comment about his unfeeling nature towards SabÃ©. But for a second there, he was a caring man, longing for SabÃ© and her happiness.  
  
I shook my head, trying to clear the king from my thoughts. I needed to ask PadmÃ© why Obi-Wan had ordered me to leave his presence; why he was angrier than I'd ever imagined possible; and why that anger seemed to be directed at me. It seemed as if everybody knew what it was, and I felt a right to know. I was, after all, Obi-Wan's former Padawan; we had a relationship like father and son. That he didn't tell me what it was, that whatever it was had to do with me, greatly unnerved me. Try as I might, I couldn't figure it out, and I began to feel more frustrated, more careless, focusing only on finding out what the big secret was.  
  
It didn't take long to get back to her bedroom, and when I opened the door I found her fully dressed in a gown similar to ones Leia and SabÃ© had been wearing. She sat on the edge of the bed, stroking Luke's cheek as he slept. She turned around when she felt my presence, and she looked like she wasn't at all surprised with the look in my eyes.  
  
"Tell me," I commanded softly, coming closer to her. She stood up to face me, and I let my eyes sweep over her attire carefully. I didn't like the thick robes, they hid her beautiful figure.  
  
"It's not place," she said softly, her voice sounding regretful as I met her eyes. She really couldn't tell me, she believed in values more than that.  
  
I did it without even thinking. I let my hand move in a common gesture. "Tell me what is going on with Obi-Wan, PadmÃ©."  
  
Her eyes glazed immediately, and I was surprised. I didn't think I'd ever convince her with a mind trick -- she was too strong for that. But she was weak and tired, and it only took one try to get her to talk. "SabÃ© told Obi- Wan a secret only I had known before now."  
  
"What secret?" I asked, my hand moving with my voice. I felt guilt at manipulating my lover's mind like that, but I pushed the guilt aside. This was more important.  
  
"SabÃ© was pregnant with Obi-Wan's child, but she miscarriaged when you came looking for me on Coruscant and hit her, knocking her down. The shock killed the child, still young in her womb."  
  
I dropped my hand to my side, shocked at this information. I remember that night. I visited SabÃ©'s quarters, sure that that's where PadmÃ© was, where she had ran after she received the holo of my deception. When SabÃ© stood firm, not wanting me to invade her privacy, I knocked her down with the Force, throwing her against the wall. I hadn't felt guilt then, and I hadn't thought about it since I returned to the Light, but now I felt as if several blows had been thrown to my stomach.  
  
PadmÃ©'s eyes were clear again, and she was looking at me with something I didn't want to venture too deep into. "You just . . ." PadmÃ© trailed off, her eyes accusing. "You just used one of your mind tricks on me, didn't you?"  
  
I didn't want to deal with this. I turned my back to her, leaving the room and her shocked face. I had once again proven that all expectations set for me were too high. I would never be what PadmÃ© insisted I was, a kind, gentle child who was manipulated, turned by force to the Darkside. I was who I was, and that was Vader. I couldn't deny that pesky voice, whispering in my mind things that I didn't want to repeat, things that tempted my anger, tempted my urge to just lose it again, to let myself become one with the power the Darkside offered.  
  
This shocked me out of my thoughts. I remembered PadmÃ© and the night before, the power that her love could give me. My Dark thoughts began to fade slowly, and I firmly replayed the emotions that went through me, the love that swelled my heart. I had finally found something to use against the Dark, a weapon that was so far effective. I didn't know if I could use it for long though. Manipulating PadmÃ© with the Force was something I'd never thought possible, something I thought that I was too good to do. I didn't know what her reaction would be once she got over the initial shock.  
  
I let my feet carry me wherever they wished. I just wanted to put as much distance between what I'd done to PadmÃ©, I needed to forget about it and think about other more important things. Such as what I'd done to Obi-Wan, the man I thought of as my father. I shook my head, and I stopped where I was to punch the wall angrily. My hand went right through, but I didn't care. I was giving myself over to the Darkside, but I didn't care.  
  
I had done so many terrible things as Vader, but this had to outweigh most of them, excluding the pain I put PadmÃ© through. Granted, I'd had no idea that she was pregnant. But then, if I had known would that have stopped me? I was truthful with myself and admitted that no, it wouldn't have.  
  
And now Obi-Wan was angry at me. I'd caused him so much pain in his lifetime, and that's when the guilt kicked in again. Guilt has got to be the worst of any emotion felt. It eats at your gut, turning your thoughts into self-destruction. Vader began to taunt me again. I would never, ever be good because that wasn't in me. Now I had Obi-Wan, one of the only two people who cared about me, who believed in me, angry at me. Obi-Wan, who never felt anger. He was one of the best Jedis I'd met, and one simple act by me could cause him to become a pool of anger. I just hoped he didn't give into that anger.  
  
I nearly groaned when I realized I should have been paying attention to where I was walking. Standing in front of me was a door I didn't recognize, but I could sense who was inside. SabÃ©. I thought of PadmÃ© again, wanting to push the Dark side away before I confronted my old friend. It didn't work this time. Instead the guilt increased as I thought about how I had violated PadmÃ©'s mind to obtain information. I tried very hard not to think about PadmÃ© after that.  
  
I ventured into SabÃ©'s mind, searching for the security code. Once I had it, I punched it in and stepped inside the room. SabÃ© looked up in shock from where she had thrown herself on the bed. I noticed her tear-stained cheeks but attempted to ignore them.  
  
"You should have security guards," I said. What stupid words to say.  
  
SabÃ© sat up and attempted to smooth down her hair and began to wipe furiously at her cheeks. "I did. I told them to leave me alone."  
  
"A lot of people are saying that lately," I grated, thinking of Obi-Wan. I closed my eyes against the pain that came with the image of Obi-Wan standing by that ship. "SabÃ© . . ."  
  
"What are you doing here, Anakin?" SabÃ© demanded. She seemed more in control of her emotions and I felt grateful. I didn't know what I'd do if she started crying again.  
  
"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "I-I . . . PadmÃ© told me about . . . I mean . . ."  
  
"PadmÃ© told you?" SabÃ© looked horrified.  
  
"No, no!" I cried, remembering that PadmÃ© had told me that it was not her place. "I mean, yes, she did tell me, but I forced her to."  
  
"Oh." SabÃ© looked even more horrified. Her hand began to reach for the comm next to her bed. "You forced her to tell you? How?"  
  
"That's not important. I just . . . I came here to apologize, but that seems stupid and empty now. I don't know what to do or say."  
  
SabÃ© shook her head. "There *isn't* anything you can do or say." She sighed and let her hand fall to her lap again. "I suppose I am grateful, Anakin. Who knows what they would have done if I had born a child that would obviously not have been Bail's."  
  
"That's not the way to think," I said quietly. I began to back away. "I know you said you could never forgive me, and I . . . I understand that now. I better go now. If you--if you see PadmÃ© . . . tell her that I didn't mean to do that, that . . . just tell her, all right?"  
  
"Where are you going?" SabÃ© demanded.  
  
"Nowhere. I just don't think that PadmÃ© is going to welcome me with open arms right now," I said, shrugging.  
  
"She will," SabÃ© said reassuringly. I looked at her funny. She shouldn't be reassuring me, she should be angry at me. "She can feel betrayed, she can be angry as hell, but she loves you too much. She longed for you every day you were gone as Lord Vader, this small thing will not set her back any. Go talk to her."  
  
I backed out of the room, not wanting to be in her presence anymore. I wanted SabÃ© to hate me for what I did, but she didn't. I took her advice, and I returned to our room. I stood there for a long time, just listening in on her thoughts. They spoke of betrayal, of uncertainty. In that quiet moment I let Vader begin to speak. I listened to his words shortly, but I quickly stopped them short. They wouldn't stop, though, they wouldn't sway.  
  
I closed my eyes, submitting myself to his words. He was taunting me, trying to anger me. He knew that every time I let myself be subject to anger it made him stronger. I knew too, but it was all I could do to try and contain myself. I wanted so badly to give myself over to Vader. It would be easier that way, to just fade into oblivion while he continued to murder, continued to thrive.  
  
There was no way I could ever find redemption for my sins, so what was the point, really, when you think about? Why bother trying when it's worthless?  
  
I opened the door to see PadmÃ© watching it, waiting for me, ringing her hands. I took one look at her, and I remembered the power that I had felt from the night before, I remembered that she had gotten rid of Vader when I wasn't strong enough to do it on my own.  
  
With this in mind, I closed the space between us and crushed her lips to mine in a bruising kiss. I needed that power again, no matter what I had to do to attain it.  
  
* * * * *  
  
AN: I hope the chapter was satisfying. Sorry, once again, that it took so long. I had a really busy week. Hope you don't mind if I add a personal note.  
  
Christina Gibson: Thank you for the personal email, I'm honored that you think my fics are great, and that they get your emotions rolling. I would have written this in an email, but for some reason every time I clicked on 'send' my computer would freeze or Hotmail would close. Various things.  
  
Remember to review. If you're confused about the ending, I'm going to explain a lot more in the next chapter.  
  
~Haley 


	9. Temporary Solution

Sitting alone with my thoughts is possibly the supidest thing I can do. It's only during the quiet that I listen to the Dark side, listen to the whispers of evil that sound so tempting. But I had to get away from PadmÃ©. I left her a few minutes after I had taken her. Or used her, whichever you prefer. I closed my eyes tightly against the painful memories. For the time being it had pushed Vader and his Darkness out of my mind, but was it really worth it? I knew PadmÃ© would have her fair share of bruises the next time I saw her, and I wondered if she'd even forgive me for what I'd done.  
  
Could I even forgive myself? Already I was itching to have her again, wanting her to make the demons go away. But wasn't I supposed to fight my own battles? Rid of them by myself? I balled up my fist in anger against it all, against everything that had happened to me. If I could do it over again, I would change so many different things. Maybe if I had stayed on Tatooine instead of becoming a Jedi. Force knows that didn't do anything for me.  
  
I knew that the anger would simply turn against me, so I attempted to blank my mind. I was standing by a fountain in the middle of the palace gardens. I let the beauty of the flowers and trees wash over me, let the trinkling of water lull me into meditation. Meditation led me to where I didn't want to go. An image of PadmÃ© entered my mind, horror and disbelief on her face.  
  
I snapped open my eyes. It surprised me to see that there was a little girl, Leia, standing at the edge of a trail, staring at me intently. I lost my balance and fell in the water. Like I said, becoming a dignified Jedi didn't do much for me.  
  
Leia began to giggle, and she stepped closer, nervously. Her eyes were narrowed, and she was studying me intently.  
  
"Should you be alone?" I asked, crawling out of the fountain. My clothes were dripping, and I was slightly uncomfortable, but Leia's smile seemed to wipe this from my mind. Unable to help myself, I grinned back at her. Leia had one of those smiles that could make the whole world seem brighter.  
  
Leia shook her head and jerked her thumb behind her. "I ran from Irshaad. He's my bodyguard, Mommy says." She wrinkled her nose. "He smells funny."  
  
I laughed and sat down on the edge of the fountain, motioning for her to join me. She hesitated only a moment before sitting down near me but far enough away so that she could still watch my every move. Smart girl.  
  
"He doesn't let me do anything fun," Leia added. She frowned. "Nobody does."  
  
"Why not?" I asked. I was a little surprised that I really did want to know the answer. Something about Leia's presence was soothing, and the little girl intrigued me.  
  
"I'm going to be the queen of Alderaan," Leia answered. She sighed softly, and as I looked into her eyes I realized that though she was four, she had quite a few years tacked on. Her eyes were depressed and longing. I brushed her mind, wanting to find out what she longed for. Leia jerked in surprise. She narrowed her eyes. "Why did you do that?"  
  
"I'm sorry," I said peacefully, holding up my hands. "I just wanted to find something out."  
  
"You could just ask me."  
  
"That I could." I met her eyes, and she began to study me once more, this time focusing on what she saw in my eyes. I let myself open up to her, and I didn't hide behind shields.  
  
"Do I know you somehow?" she finally settled for asking, looking confused.  
  
"I met you before you were born," I said after a moment's thought. "I remember when you were in your mother's belly."  
  
"You do?" Leia asked, looking interested. "You knew my mother?"  
  
I remembered suddenly that this child thought SabÃ© was her mother. I nodded. "SabÃ© was PadmÃ©'s best friend, and PadmÃ© and I were married. I knew SabÃ© quite well."  
  
"You're married to my Aunt PadmÃ©?" Leia looked surprised. "She told me that her husband died."  
  
I bit my lip, contemplating how I should answer. I wanted to give her an honest answer, but I didn't want her to hate me either. Or worse, be scared of me. "In a way I did die. Leia, do you know about the Force?"  
  
Leia shook her head. Her eyes were wide, as if she knew I was about to tell her something important, and she didn't want to miss a thing.  
  
"It's . . . everything. Everything is part of the Force, I should say. But the Force can sometimes go bad and become something black and angry. For awhile I let myself become evil, I let that blackness overcome me." I paused for a second, watching her. She seemed to be understanding what I was saying so far, so I continued. "In a way I *did* die. I became something else, something very, very bad that no one would ever want to become."  
  
"You're not bad anymore though," Leia pointed out softly. She cocked her head in curiosity. "What changed you?"  
  
"PadmÃ©," I answered, a small smile coming to my face. "I was going to kill her."  
  
Leia gasped. I quit talking for a second, wanting to see her reaction to that. "Why would you kill her if you were married to her? Didn't you love her?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, I did. That's what saved me. Love. I was going to kill her, but she saved me by telling me that she still loved me, no matter what I'd become. Watching her, her undying love, I realized that I could never hurt her. Somehow I changed, I became what you see me as now."  
  
Leia nodded fiercely, her head piece's gold strings swinging around her face. "I like who you are now," she stated clearly. She paused for a second, looking deep in thought. "Daddy doesn't like you," she finally stated.  
  
"Your daddy is a very complicated man, Leia," I said in defense. "I think that he hides behind what he is. There's more to him than you think."  
  
Leia nodded, but I could tell she wasn't quite listening; she didn't quite understand. "Did you know my daddy before too?"  
  
"Not very well, but I knew him, yes."  
  
"Was he a good man?"  
  
"He still is, Leia."  
  
Leia looked away, going deep inside her mind for a second as she considered carefully her next words. "He's always so sad."  
  
"A lot has happened to him," I said gently.  
  
"I don't feel a . . ." Leia trailed off, searching for the right words. "With Aunt PadmÃ© and Mommy I feel something. It's in my mind. I can sense them, I can sense what they feel. I can do the same with you too." She thought about it for a second. "And with Irshaad and that little boy Luke and that man that Mommy talked to. He made her cry."  
  
"Obi-Wan?"  
  
"He didn't mean to of course," Leia said quickly. "I was in the room and Mommy told me to leave. She said she had to talk to the nice man alone. When I was alone I felt suddenly very sad and mad. It took me awhile to figure out that it was his feelings I was feeling. Then he seemed to realize that I could sense him. He shut himself off and left. He was very angry."  
  
I nodded, and grief threatened to take over again. "Your mommy told him something that upset them both greatly. They used to know each other very well."  
  
"My mommy loves him," Leia said matter-of-factly. She looked confused once more. "She doesn't love Daddy." Leia looked guilty for a second, then she whispered guiltily, "I don't think I love him either."  
  
She looked surprised that she admitted this, and she stood up abruptly, ending the conversation, acting as though she hadn't just spilled a secret. "I have left Irshaad for too long. Thank you for your time."  
  
"You look like a little Diplomat," I complimented. She was acting like one too. I remembered when PadmÃ© had been like that. Whenever she got too close to feeling something, or admitting something that wasn't respectable, she would close herself off and try to get away or change the subject. I smiled at the memories of her resistance to the love between us.  
  
Leia wrinkled her nose again, and it struck me how adorable she looked when she did this. "I don't like politicians."  
  
I thought of PadmÃ©. "Not all of them are too bad. Your Aunt PadmÃ© was once a very respectable politician."  
  
Leia's nose wrinkled further. "I know. She told me stories. I don't like politics. My daddy says that even if I don't, I will have to be queen someday." She smiled slightly. "That's what he thinks."  
  
laughed as she left down the trail I had first spotted her in. Leia was indeed very amusing. She was too smart for her own good too. She had managed to lighten my mood considerably. I needed to see PadmÃ©, to apologize to her, to explain to her that I lost control, that it wouldn't happen again.  
  
I stood with a sigh, and it suddenly came back to me that I was soaking wet. I found I didn't care too much. Talking to Leia had been worth it. The little girl was very insightful and straightforward. She knew what she was feeling, and she said exactly that. You had to give respect to her, despite the fact that she was still a toddler. I remembered the sense of longing that I had seen, and I wondered once more what it was that she wanted. Surely with being a princess she could have anything she desired.  
  
When I reached the closest entrance to the castle, I took a deep, calming breath. I knew that I had not meant to hurt PadmÃ©. I just had to convince her of this. I wondered if my stupid action could have pushed her away for good, but before that thought could go on for long I quickly demolished it.  
  
I surveyed the palace with my senses, and I found that PadmÃ© was in a room with SabÃ© and Bail Organa. I groaned inwardly. If word of what I had done got to Bail, I wouldn't blame him if he attempted murder on my behalf.  
  
I gathered my courage and headed for that room. Before I could even knock, SabÃ© opened it with a bright smile. "I was wondering when you'd join us," she said pleasantly, holding the door open for me to step in. I was a little surprised at this. SabÃ© must have been Force-sensitive to know I was coming before I knocked on the door. Or maybe I had very loud footsteps.  
  
I felt my stomach flip flop in nervousness, and I pointedly avoided PadmÃ© eyes, shame coming over me. I could feel Bail's anger at my presence, but I went to stand next to him anyway.  
  
"What is this?" I asked curiously, looking at the hologram that was on a table. I looked around and realized that we weren't the only four in the room.  
  
"This is the commander of our rebel troops, Captain Koen," SabÃ© introduced, gesturing to a stiff, old man standing rigid. "Koen, this is Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker."  
  
I was surprised at the formal title but pleased all the same. I smiled and nodded to the commander. He raised an eyebrow in greeting.  
  
"We're trying to get the Rebels in order," SabÃ© explained. She pointed to the hologram. "These are the number we have that do a certain job such as a pilot or a blaster specialist. We even have a few martial arts experts. Next to that you'll see a list of names. Those are the best in their category. Captain Koen is kind enough to assist us in planning how to use these men."  
  
"It's my pleasure," Koen said. I was surprised to hear that his voice was gentle. He cleared his throat and gestured to the holo. "We don't have enough ships to send them to all the different planets, if that's what your planning."  
  
"We really hadn't planned too far ahead," I admitted. I studied the names and numbers, feeling something on the edge of my mind, a plan. "I know two more won't make much of a difference, but Obi-Wan and I will help you. We're Jedis, and it should make the task less difficult."  
  
"Anakin is an amazing pilot," SabÃ© added. "I know you don't have any that compare to his talent. Obi-Wan hates flying, so don't expect much from him."  
  
"Where is this Obi-Wan?" Koen asked.  
  
"He's traveling to Dagobah to get another Jedi that could help us very much. You've heard of the Jedi Master Yoda, I'm sure."  
  
I watched Koen's reaction carefully. His eyes widened, and I sensed a new respect coming from him. "Yes, of course. Who hasn't? I thought that the Jedi were extinct."  
  
"We're a little hard to kill," I answered with a small, proud smile. "Already a new generation is being born. It won't take long for a new Jedi Academy to be built." I changed topics quickly. "I'm sure there are many in your troops with Jedi abilities that they don't know about. I'm not one for volunteering people, but maybe we could talk Yoda into sensing them. We could put them through a little training but not much considering their age. With even the slightest training, though, we've got an upper hand on the Empire."  
  
Koen nodded. "That sounds fair enough. If it's not too tiring, I could have each of them run by Yoda. I'm not sure how this Force works, but I assume he can somehow tell by looking?"  
  
"I can get a head start," I said. "And if Yoda doesn't want to do that you've got me."  
  
PadmÃ© cleared her throat for attention. "If you're not using Anakin as a pilot, perhaps it would be best if you kept him here to train Jedis. He has a higher midichlorian count than Yoda, and I've heard Obi-Wan say he doesn't doubt that Ani is more powerful."  
  
I blushed at her praise. She shouldn't be defending me, or even trying to keep me on this planet. She met my eyes clearly, and I saw that, once more, I was forgiven. I turned my gaze from her back to the holo. I didn't need her forgiveness.  
  
"I don't know anything about it," Koen said, raising his hands slightly. "You can do what you feel best, just let me know when you want me to start sending them in. I'll let the best ones come in first. As soon as they've been tested I want them to go off planet."  
  
"Do you even know what they're going to do or say once they get onto the planet?" I pointed out. I shook my head. "It's best if you keep them together and we attack each planet with an army. It will be easier that way."  
  
Koen looked surprised to be taking advice from someone else, but he nodded in agreement. "You're right. I should have thought about victory instead of speed."  
  
"If I can have a small, private room to myself?" I said, looking up at Bail expectantly. He nodded grimly. "You can start sending troops my way tomorrow. I'll be waiting for them. SabÃ©, do you know if Obi-Wan has an extra light saber that he left?"  
  
"He doesn't, but I have one in my room you can use," SabÃ© said with a little hesitation.  
  
My jaw must have dropped a little. " *You* have a light saber? Where did you get it from?"  
  
"Obi-Wan showed me how to built one years ago," SabÃ© said. She looked a little uncomfortable. I wanted to know more about SabÃ© and the obvious Force presence I had never known about. I didn't want to ask her any questions though, it would be rude. She was looking nervous, wanting someone to change the subject.  
  
PadmÃ© must have sensed this, and she was the one to do it. "Luke is taking a nap for now, but I'd better get back to him soon. Ani, will you accompany me?"  
  
I looked at her in surprise, but quickly mumbled a yes. She said good bye to each of the occupants of the room and began her way down the hall, me following suit behind her.  
  
"You're not mad at me then?" I asked quietly as we walked.  
  
She looked up at me, her brown eyes in turmoil. "Let's talk when we get to my bedroom," she said quietly.  
  
I realized my mistake quickly. I had assumed too much. Of course she was mad at me. We walked the rest of the way in silence. I could feel myself getting sicker and sicker with each passing moment, wanting to explain to her everything before she rejected me, and told me that she'd had enough. She opened the door to her room and went to the small one adjoined to it that Luke slept in. She came out a second later, satisfied that her little boy was all right.  
  
"PadmÃ©," I began. She tried to say something, but I quickly interrupted her, wanting to get this all out before she decided my fate. "I have spent the last few hours in agony thinking of what I did to you. I want to make up for it, I want you to know that I'll never do that again. I love you too much, and I don't want to lose you because of a stupid mistake I made."  
  
PadmÃ© swallowed noticably and nodded. She bit her lip, and then she dared to meet my eyes. "Why did you . . . you know?" she asked, her voice a hoarse whisper. Her eyes were welling up slightly, and I felt her pain as if it were my own.  
  
I looked away from her then, moved to another part of the room, searching for something to occupy my hands with. Should I tell her about Vader? Would she ever look at me the same? Would she still believe that I was her precious Ani, the one she met on Tatooine? I wanted her to keep that image of me. I didn't want her to know what I really was. A failure, barely keeping Lord Vader at bay. And if he got out again, with my healthy body and fully restored midichlorian count . . . I couldn't do that to *anyone*.  
  
I finally looked back at her. I froze when I met her eyes, and then I whispered, "I don't know." I shrugged and looked away again. It was an easy, simple answer. I knew she wouldn't accept it.  
  
PadmÃ©'s anger and concern were radiating off of her, and I had the urge to leave her and the room, to get away from her accusations. "You don't know?" she mocked. She laughed bitterly, a harsh cruel sound that made me wince. "Anakin, do you know what kind of *hell* you have put me through over the years?" Her voice quieted. "I think I deserve an honest answer."  
  
She was right. I met her eyes again; this time I was strong enough to keep our gazes locked unwaveringly. "I don't want to hurt you anymore," I finally said, hesitating. If I told her about Vader she would know, it would ruin her whole outlook on me.  
  
"I think I'm groing immunity to you hurting me," she said. "I'm more concerned for you than angry, Anakin. I know that you would never . . . but you *did*. Something is obviously wrong. We're married, we're supposed to help each other, support each other. Why won't you let me support you?"  
  
"I'm growing weaker," I finally said with a sigh. "Each and every day I grow weaker, and he grows stronger."  
  
"Who?" PadmÃ© asked, keeping her voice low. She walked closer to me, looking up at me with strong, inquiring eyes.  
  
"Vader," I whispered, varely moving my lips as I spat the name in venom. Anger is of the Darkside. I closed my eyes, willing it to go away while I continued to talk. "I'm feeding him with my anger and my uncertainty. He keeps taunting me, purposefully trying to rouse me, knowing that I'll fall to his traps." I opened my eyes. The anger was gone, and now I felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. "I can't hold him off for much longer. I don't know what to do."  
  
PadmÃ©'s eyes glistened at the empty, meek sound of my voice. She pulled me into a hug, settling down on the edge of the bed and pressing my ear to heart. She stroked my hair and my neck, trying to soothe me. I closed my eyes and let myself be lulled into a trance-like state.  
  
"When I'm around you, he goes away," I murmered.  
  
PadmÃ© stopped her hands for a second, seeming a little surprised. "What?" She resumed her massage, this time working on my shoulders.  
  
I let my head fall on her lap as she worked on my back. "Whenever I'm around you, Vader stops. It's almost as if he's silent. That's . . . that's why I took you earlier today. He was getting louder and louder, his voice echoing in my mind painfully. I couldn't take it, and I broke. I attacked you."  
  
PadmÃ© seemed to shrink a little in relief. "I understand," she said softly. "Does he leave when you're with me like this? Just sitting?"  
  
"He leaves when you love me."  
  
"I always love you."  
  
"He leaves in a moment like this," I corrected myself. "When all that there is is your love, and I let it wash over me and soothe me. Love frightens him, it's the path to the light side."  
  
"Then if I have to love you to death to get rid of him, so be it," PadmÃ© said clearly. I could feel her smile, and she leaned down to kiss the back of my neck. "Ani, if he ever gets to be more than you can handle, find me. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep you at peace."  
  
I sat up and met her eyes. They were warm and sincere. "I love you," I said strongly with hesitation. That was the only thing to say at a time like this.  
  
"I know. I love you too," PadmÃ© answered. She leaned forward and kissed me softly, tenderly on the lips. Even more power entered my system, and I relished in the feeling.  
  
"I don't deserve you," I murmered against her lips before taking another kiss from her lips so sweet. I burned with white heat every place she was touching me, and I could only think about having more of her. I wanted to mold her to my body, to become one with her again. We were nothing when seperated. *I* was nothing when we were seperated.  
  
"Who cares?" PadmÃ© answered. "You're stuck with me."  
  
I grinned and kissed her once more. For now, everything was fine. I had a temporary solution to Vader. Maybe a long term solution, who knows? Now I just had to work on the Obi-Wan problem . . .  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
AN: I hope that Leia doesn't seem artificial. First of all she's Force sensitive, and she's been raised in the palace to become a queen. I think her intellect would be higher than that of a normal four year old.  
  
I also hope that nobody is offended that Ani kinda sorta "raped" PadmÃ©. Put more delicately, "used" and "took" her. It had to be done for the plotline, and I think that with his desperation and frustration with Vader, his desire to rid of the demons makes it believable that he'd attack PadmÃ©.  
  
No, Luke was not in the room. He . . . um . . . went to his own bedroom for a nap beforehand. Yeah, that got him out of the way.  
  
I build a small website that I'm hoping will grow bigger, and I hope you all visit there to check it out. www.geocities.com/haleyobsessions/ I'm putting only my absolute favorite fics on there, and there are some fics and such. If you have anything to add to the site, I'd be humbly grateful and forever in debt to your kindness. ;)  
  
~Haley 


	10. A Moment to Cherish

It was early morning when I stood on the docking bay located outside, watching the sun rise. I had had a vision, just a brief one. Obi-Wan and Yoda would return that day. The vision told me nothing more, nothing less, just an image of Obi-Wan and Yoda arriving on a ship.  
  
This was the first time in four long days that I finally was left to my own thoughts. I purposefully kept myself busy with Koen's troops, picking out anyone that I had a feeling about. I had been so focused on the Force, more united with it than ever before, listening to its whispers and premonitions. When I did have time alone, it was usually interrupted by Padmé or Luke. I was spending all of my time away from them, and the evenings were the only time we could spend time together and visit.  
  
My sharp eyes and senses caught something moving on the horizon. I felt apprehension and a strange giddiness as I watched the dot become larger and larger and felt the presence of Obi-Wan strengthen considerably. I was torn. Obi-Wan's mind was blocked tightly, and I didn't know what to expect. We had left on such bad terms that I wondered if he could ever forgive me.  
  
I felt someone approach from behind, and I whirled around with my hand on my lightsaber. I let out a breath of relief when I recognized Sabé, drowning in a robe that had to be twice her size. She smiled gently at me. "I felt him coming," she explained by way of whisper.  
  
"You're very strong in the Force," I observed. I knew it wasn't the time to bring this up, but it would be a long time before another opportunity presented itself.  
  
Sabé nodded, but her mind began to build barriers cautiously. "Yes, I have heard that before."  
  
"You have been trained," I added, watching her carefully.  
  
Sabé nodded once more. "A long time ago I met a Jedi Knight who recognized my talent and gave me a little bit of training. I was left on my own to expand that training."  
  
"You have done a very good job," I complimented softly. "With Leia as well."  
  
Sabé looked up sharply, and she saw only kindness and gratefullness in my eyes. She softened, letting out a deep breath. "Yes. I knew that with you as her father she would be strong in the Force, and she only proved this time and again as she grew. I knew that it was my duty as her protector to train her what little I could."  
  
"You aren't just her protector," I reminded her, "you're also her mother."  
  
"Padmé is her mother, Anakin." Sabé sighed. "I cannot deny that, and I cannot lie to Leia. I don't know how to approach her with this information though. How can I tell her that I've been lying to her her whole life?"  
  
"There is no pressure, Sabé. And you are her mother. You raised her as a small child, and she will never forget that. In her heart, I'm sure that you will always hold a special place."  
  
"Your words are comforting and strong, but I accept the truth," Sabé said. She shook her head and placed a hand on my arm. "Ani, don't speak with guilt. I long ago accepted the fate of my child."  
  
"I have not yet, and I don't know if I ever can." I paused, wondering, then finally began to blurt it out. "I remember every face of every person I killed, of every person that I know I hurt. It is torture to know everyday that I caused so much pain for so many people. I do not mind it though, it keeps me working for redemption. Somehow, I *will* make it up to the galaxy."  
  
"Making it up to the galaxy will never calm the turmoil you feel in your heart," Sabé said wisely.  
  
"But it's a start," I answered.  
  
Sabé suddenly whipped her head up, and a small smile came to her face as the ship landed gracefully on the royal docking bay. The belly of it opened up, and a hunched figure began to walk calmly down the steps. She walked as quickly as she could while mantaining her dignity.  
  
I took a second to follow, the apprehension growing even stronger. Talking to Sabé had been comforting, she was a wise woman, and I was grateful to have her words. I took a deep breath, and I began to follow Sabé's path.  
  
Sabé helped Yoda walk away from the ship, keeping a sharp eye where Obi-Wan would exit next. I could sense her eagerness and the same apprehension that I felt.  
  
I stopped in front of Yoda. He seemed more hunched over than the last time I'd seen him. The hair around his face had grown thicker. Still though, a power radiated from him. A sense of peace, of belonging, of knowledge so deep that it would be impossible to comprehend.  
  
I bowed. "Master Yoda," I greeted softly. I had the sudden desire to have Padmé at my side, to draw from her inner strength.  
  
"Master Skywalker," Yoda returned, bowing in return.  
  
"I am a Jedi Knight, sir," I corrected humbly.  
  
Yoda clenched both his fists on his cain and made a 'hmm' sound as he studied me, his ears bouncing up and down. Finally, he met my eyes. "Power you radiate, Young Skywalker. Risen has your rank. Terrible things you have done, but great they were."  
  
I couldn't help smiling. "Thank you, Master Yoda. It is respect that I do not deserve, but I thank you."  
  
Yoda looked ready to reply, but Sabé made a sudden move.  
  
We both followed her gaze to Obi-Wan, walking steadily down from the ship. I winced at the coldness that came from him, the utter blankness.  
  
"Obi-Wan . . ." Sabé said, her voice just a little breathless. "I was worried. I didn't . . ."  
  
"Good morning, Queen Organa," Obi-Wan said, emphasizing her name to make a point.  
  
Sabé's jaw dropped a little. Her eyes shone with pain. "Obi-Wan?"  
  
Obi-Wan ignored her, walking right past her. He didn't meet my eyes, nor the eyes of Master Yoda. "I'm going to inform King Organa of our safe arrival, if you will excuse me."  
  
He stalked off before anyone could stop him. Yoda shook his head, closing his eyes and looking down in sadness. "A great deal of pain he is in." Yoda looked up at Sabé. "Space he needs. Let him meditate you should. Get through this he will."  
  
Sabé met Yoda's gaze blankly. She blinked, then nodded. "Thank you for your kind words, Master Yoda," she said softly. Without a good-bye, she left, hunching her shoulders over with empty sobs, her pain coming to me in the Force. She went in the opposite direction of Obi-Wan. I hoped that Padmé would find her and comfort her.  
  
Left alone with Yoda, I suddenly felt uncomfortable. Ever since Yoda had deemed me too "clouded" to be trained, I had felt nervous in his presence. I had always gotten the picture that he didn't like me, that he was always watching me, that he knew everything that went on. In the inside and the outside.  
  
"Master Yoda, I have been recruiting possible Jedi from the troops of the Alderaan Rebellion," I said, feeling relieved at finding such an easy topic to discuss. "I know that they are old, and will not ever be as strong in the Force as someone trained from a child, but any training that we can give them will be an upper hand on our side. We plan on infiltering each planet that is still strong in the Empire, working on the Core planets and spreading out. I have volunteered to help train these Jedi, but I as well as the galaxy would be immensely grateful if you were to offer your service in helping."  
  
Yoda considered my words. He nodded. "Train them, we will. For now, rest I need."  
  
"I can take you inside and get you a room," I offered.  
  
Yoda nodded. "Your help I am grateful for."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Once I was sure that Yoda was settled, I began to leave the room that he was going to be staying in. A raspy gasp from the bed he was lying in made me stop in my tracks. I turned around to see Yoda holding out his hand, indicating that I should stop.  
  
"Talk, we must, Young Skywalker."  
  
The moment I was dreading. I shut myself off, closing everything around me, and looked at him blankly. "What about?"  
  
"Told me what happened, Obi-Wan did," Yoda said. "Balance to the Force, you brought."  
  
"I've heard this before," I snapped. I wanted to get away from him. I was afraid of what he would say. So far, though, he had only treated me with respect. I stayed in place, waiting for him to go on.  
  
"Understand, I dont," Yoda murmered, shaking his head as if in remorse for me.  
  
"Understand what?" I pressed. Talking to Yoda could be frustrating at the best of times, and I had been scraping rock bottom for years.  
  
"Self-pity you wallow in," Yoda said after a few seconds of reserved silence. "Path to the Dark side, that is. Saved many, you have. Returned to the light, you have. Linger on the Darkness, your thoughts do."  
  
It took me a moment to put together what he said; talking to Yoda was not only frustrating, but also confusing. "I've got a lot going on, Master Yoda. Do you think I *like* being subject to my thoughts?"  
  
"Stop them, you can."  
  
"No, I can't," I said firmly. "Believe me, I've tried. I can control anything anymore. I've just about given up."  
  
"There!" Yoda screeched out the word, his voice squeaking higher than normal. He moved his hears once more, his eyes intense. "Exactly what you should not say, that is. A path to the Darkside, giving up is. Power you have, Skywalker. Learn to use it, you must."  
  
I shook my head, not wanting to listen to him. "They're my thoughts, I think that I can decide for myself whether or not I can rid of them."  
  
"Strong in the Force, you are." Yoda seemed to smirk. "Strength is not everything, Skywalker." He sighed. "Ah . . . A little wisdom you could do with!"  
  
I gave up trying to understand. "What?"  
  
"Strength is useless without wisdom." Yoda took a second for that to sink in, then he settled back in the pillows. "Rest, I need. Dismissed, you are."  
  
I nodded absently and left the room, thinking over his words. If Yoda was saying what I thought he was, maybe he could work with me, could further my training. Maybe together we could come up with something to pull me further into the right side, out of the clutches of the Dark.  
  
This thought revived me, and I felt relief like nothing else. There was nothing Master Yoda was not capable of, and I had full faith that he could restore me, that he could help my redemption.  
  
This time when I neared the door to Padmé's and my room, my thoughts were pure and loving. I typed in the security code and the doors slid aside for me to step in. Surprisingly enough, Padmé was fully dressed, looking over a data pad as she sat at her vanity.  
  
"Good morning," I greeted. I kissed her lightly on the nose, and her face lit up into a tired but brilliant smile. She reached up and kissed me on the lips.  
  
"Morning," she returned with a murmer.  
  
I brought my hands to her neck and began to gently rub soothingly. "What are you looking at?"  
  
"I'm helping you. I'm organizing your list of Force-sensitives," Padmé said, holding up the data pad for me to take.  
  
I scanned it. "Thank you," I said sincerely, feeling that familiar love bursting my heart. I kissed her again, this time longer than before. "I love you."  
  
Padmé laughed. "Because I organized your notes?"  
  
I smiled in return. "You're smiling, that's a start. You seemed so grim when I walked in here. What's wrong?"  
  
Padmé frowned. "I had a talk with Obi-Wan."  
  
"You *what*?"  
  
Padmé tilted her lips up in a half smile. "I don't know if I did any good. Sabé came to my room crying to drop Leia off. I let her go to be alone, but I knew what happened so I sought out Obi-Wan."  
  
"Leia is here?" I asked, turning my head to Luke's room. The doors were shut, but I could hear a female voice speaking in bossy undertones. I was more than interested. After talking to Leia, I wondered what the two children would be like together.  
  
Padmé nodded. "She and Luke get along fine. Luke is so passive, he doesn't care if Leia tells him what to do."  
  
I laughed, shaking my head. "They should be a riot together." I paused for a moment to take in the look of pure happiness on Padmé's face.  
  
"It feels so wonderful," Padmé murmered, closing her eyes. "My children are playing in their bedroom, I'm helping you with work . . . I feel like I'm finally part of my own family."  
  
My heart nearly broke at the raw emotion behind her words. I wrapped my arms around her from behind, and she tilted her head backwards to lie on my stomach. "I'm so sorry it took so long for this to finally happen for you."  
  
Padmé opened her eyes and sent me an amused look. "You always feel so sorry for yourself, so sorry for everyone else. Close your eyes and listen to them. Let yourself enjoy this."  
  
I listened to her. Closing my eyes, I tentatively began diving into the Force, seeking that happiness that she felt. Swirling emotions surrounded me, the ones of my children and my wife. Luke and Leia had burst in laughter in the next room. Padmé's steadily pulsing joy wrapped around my heart. I felt something . . .  
  
I sighed, and I opened my eyes. I met Padmé's warm brown eyes. "Did you feel it?" she asked gently.  
  
"Contentedness," I said, nodding. "I felt it." I got onto my knees so that Padmé and I were face to face. I brought my hands up to her soft cheeks and cupped her face, holding it close to mine and locking her eyes with my own. "No matter what, Padmé, I will never take this away from you. I won't make the same mistakes again."  
  
Padmé looked like she was melting under my gaze, her eyes brimming with the same intense feelings I was portraying. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me softly, lingering motionlessly on my lips. Instead of a kiss of passion, this kiss linked us together in a love that was so pure that it strengthened my resolve to stay true to my words. I wouldn't hurt Padmé again, not the way I had hurt Sabé and Obi-Wan.  
  
I was about to scold myself for the self-pity both Yoda and Padmé told me to give up, but the sound of a door swishing open stopped me. Still in Padmé's embrace, I turned my head to the side to see Luke standing at the doorway, his hands on his hips. Leia stood beside him, watching Padmé and me intently. It struck me suddenly how alike they looked. Despite being fraternal, they were the same height, and in their faces was a mixture of both Padmé and me, a perfect blend.  
  
"What's wrong?" Padmé asked, not sounding too worried. She brought her hands back to her lap, and I reluctantly sat back on my heels, watching the children.  
  
"She keeps trying to make me play house!" Luke said accusingly.  
  
Leia stepped forward, her eyes narrowed threateningly. "He keeps trying to make me play with his ships!" She let disgust filter out in her voice as she shot a glance in Luke's direction.  
  
Luke stuck his tongue out at her. Leia looked deeply offended. "I cannot surround myself with people so immature as you," she said cooly.  
  
"Leia, Luke, why don't you both play something else, something you both like?" Padmé suggested.  
  
"I want to watch a holofilm," Leia said suddenly.  
  
Luke's eyes widened. "You have those here?" he asked in awe.  
  
"Of course," Leia said nonchalantly. "This *is* a palace, you know. There's nothing we don't have. My father is rich."  
  
Luke narrowed his eyes, about to say something else, but I wisely interrupted, my voice laced with amusement at their little show. "I'll turn it on for you," I said quickly, standing and moving to do as I said. When I turned back around, Padmé had put the two children on our bed. Once more I felt the ping of bursting in my chest. Leia had rested her head on Luke's shoulder, and he laid his on top of hers. Despite their arguing a moment before, all was forgiven. I locked eyes with Padmé, and we shared and relished in the moment together.  
  
* * * * *  
  
AN: I'm sorry if this chapter was muddled up. For some reason I couldn't get ahold of my beta-reader! I'm also sorry that it took so long for this chapter to come out, and that this fic probably won't be updated as frequently as it used to. It's not that I dislike this fic, it's just that I've been focusing on reading a lot more, and when I do write, I usually write for the Obi-Wan/Sabé fics that I'm making to accompany this one. (*cough* you might want to check the first book out -- it's on my bio *cough*) See how subtle I can be? :) Thanks a million times over for all of the wonderful reviews I receive. Each and every one of them means so much to me.  
  
~Haley 


	11. Leia

I awoke late into the evening at the sound of someone at our door. Immediately I tensed up, and Padmé curled her hand on my chest, sitting up in bed to lock eyes with me. We both were filled with tension, even though I knew that it couldn't be anything bad. Years ago, when we were first married, there had been many a night where intruders weren't welcome. Well . . . not welcome to Padmé.  
  
I relaxed forcedly and got out of bed. Padmé followed suit and pulled on a robe. I walked to the door and slapped the button to activate them. When they slid open, I saw Sabé standing there, looking tired and miserable, dried tears on her cheeks.  
  
"Sabé!" Padmé cried out in alarm, rushing to my side. She took Sabé by the arm and dragged her into our room. "What happened? Did you speak to Obi- Wan?"  
  
Sabé shook her head. "Padmé, I want to tell Leia."  
  
"Now?" I asked, disbeliving. A look at my chronometer told me that it was oh-one-hundred. Leia was asleep in Luke's room. Sabé hadn't come back to take her all evening, and Padmé had decided to let the little girl sleep over. Neither Padmé nor I were terribly upset about that.  
  
Sabé turned her dull gaze to me. I thought I saw a flicker of the passion that this woman had once held. "Yes, now. When is a better time?"  
  
"Why now, Sabé?" Padmé asked softly.  
  
Sabé's cheeks scrunched up as if she were going to cry. "I have so many things on my shoulders now, Padmé. I want Leia to be happy, and she will be happy with her rightful family. I have worried day in and day out since you arrived how I was going to tell her. If I get it over with, I can rest easier."  
  
"Do you really want to do this?" Padmé asked, a breathless note in her voice.  
  
Sabé nodded. "Why else would I suggest it? Bail will be angry with me, but he is already."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"It's nothing to worry about. He just acts . . . cold."  
  
"You mean colder than he usualy does?" I muttered. Padmé elbowed me.  
  
Sabé smiled slightly. "He wasn't always like that. Something changed him. But, yes, colder than he usually acts." Her lower lip trembled slightly. "He's so angry at Obi-Wan."  
  
"Maybe it'll keep his focus off me," I said.  
  
"Would you stop with the so-called jokes?" Padmé snapped. She softened. "Nothing could get his back off you. I have half a mind to join him as it is." She turned to Sabé. "Why is he angry at Obi-Wan?"  
  
"I don't know!" Sabé cried. She looked truly at a loss. "I have asked myself this again and again. He cares not for me. I know it. I have in all of the years we have been married. Yet now that Obi-Wan is back, he acts in a jealous rage. He knows about Obi-Wan, he knew from the beginning. I guess he just assumed that Obi-Wan would never be back."  
  
"And he never was, until now," Padmé said. "They thought him dead."  
  
"Padmé, go wake the children," I murmered, giving her a look. I knew she wanted to protest, to see what I had to say to Sabé, but she sighed and left the room anyway. I focused in on Sabé, trying to make my gaze as intense as possible. "Bail does care about you, Sabé. A great deal more than you can imagine."  
  
Sabé's breath caught in her throat. "That's what I'm afraid of," she whispered. "I thought Obi-Wan was gone too. If I had known he was still alive . . ."  
  
"Why did you marry one man if you were in love with another? I don't believe it was for the money," I said gently, wondering aloud what I couldn't stop thinking about.  
  
"For protection," Sabé said simply.  
  
"I have your children," Padmé said sharply, entering the room again with Leia and Luke walking groggily behind her. "Are you done talking?"  
  
"Yes," I answered simply. I looked at Leia and my stomach dropped. Would she reject us? Reject *me*?  
  
"Mommy!" Leia cried, running to Sabé and throwing her arms around the elder woman's legs. "Are you all right? Was it that mean man again?"  
  
Sabé gently extracted herself from Leia's embrace. She kneeled before the child. "Leia, I have something very important to tell you."  
  
Leia's eyes sharpened. "I'm listening," she whispered, sounding slightly afraid, but too scared to question what it was that had upset her mother so greatly.  
  
"Your Aunt Padmé is not my sister," Sabé began. "She was the Queen of a different planet long ago, and I worked for her. I protected her."  
  
"Like Irshaad?" Leia asked meekly, sounding as if it was the first thing that came to her mind.  
  
Sabé smiled slightly. "I hope I wasn't as mean and stuffy as Irshaad."  
  
"You aren't," Padmé assured her.  
  
Leia turned around and looked at Padmé warily, as if she wasn't sure what to think. She turned back to her mother. "That's not all, is it?"  
  
"You're a sharp one. No, Leia. What I have to tell you is going to upset you and change everything. I didn't mean to keep it from you all of these years, but we all had to protect you." Sabé took a deep breath. "I'm not your mother, Leia. Not by blood. And Bail isn't your daddy."  
  
Leia looked deeply confused. She stared at her mother for a moment. "Who?" she weakly asked after a moment, her voice sounding strange.  
  
Padmé spoke; Leia turned around to look at her. "Leia, I am your mother."  
  
Leia stared at Padmé for a long time, then finally nodded. "Okay."  
  
"Okay?" I repeated, strangely disappointed.  
  
Leia looked at me warily. "You are my father. Luke is my brother."  
  
"Yes," Sabé said.  
  
Leia turned to look at Sabé. "And you are my mother's best friend."  
  
"No, no," I said quickly, before Sabé could say anything. I kneeled in front of Leia. "We are your blood family, Leia, but we could never hope to replace Sabé. We won't take you away from her. You can do whatever you want to do."  
  
Leia looked scared. "Can I go back to sleep?"  
  
I sighed and stood up. "Yes, you can. I'm sorry that we woke you up."  
  
"I guess it was important," Leia said. As she walked back to her room, she added, "Though I can't see why you couldn't have told me before."  
  
Luke stayed for a moment, his innocent eyes wide. "Leia is my sister?" he asked, looking hopeful.  
  
"Yes, she's your sister," Padmé murmured.  
  
"I knew it," Luke said softly in satisfied conviction. He followed Leia into their small bedroom and shut the door behind him.  
  
"That went well," I said, turning around to look at Sabé.  
  
"She's a strong girl," Sabé said softly. "She takes after her parents. Her real ones."  
  
"Sabé . . ." Padmé began, looking lost at what to say.  
  
"I have to go now," Sabé said, backing away slowly. "I need to go."  
  
"Come see Leia tomorrow. She might be upset if you don't," Padmé said just as Sabé shut the doors behind her. Padmé sighed and turned to me. I held out my arms, and she collapsed into them. I rubbed her back soothingly.  
  
"It's strange," I said into her hair.  
  
"What is?" Padmé said. "Or should I ask, what isn't?"  
  
"I know I should be feeling guilty over Sabé . . ." I trailed off.  
  
"But you can't help but feel elated that Leia finally knows," Padmé finished. She pulled away just enough to look at me. "I know."  
  
"You always do," I said, placing a light kiss on her lips.  
  
"Let's go to bed now. We can't accomplish anything else until morning," Padmé said reasonably.  
  
"We can't even accomplish . . ." I suggested, arching an eyebrow.  
  
Padmé pushed me so that I landed backwards on the bed. She picked up a pillow and threw it at me just in case I didn't get the message.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Wake up! Ani, wake up, for Force's sake!" Padmé screeched in my ear, pounding at my chest.  
  
I slowly opened my eyes. I smiled slyly at her, then slung an arm around her chest and pulled her on top of me. "Anxious for something, my love?"  
  
Padmé rolled her eyes. "Yes, I am. Leia's gone."  
  
"What?" I demanded as I bolted up in bed. "Is Luke gone too?"  
  
"No, he's still asleep."  
  
"Probably not any more thanks to your yelling."  
  
"I think that I was justified in yelling due to our situation!" Padmé cried out vehemently.  
  
"All right, all right. You know her pretty well. Where would she go?" I asked.  
  
Padmé squeezed her eyes shut in concentration. "Um . . . when she's upset, she always comes to me."  
  
"That helped a lot."  
  
"I'm sorry, but I'm panicking, if you cared to notice. What if she ran away? What if she hates us because we lied to her? What if--"  
  
"Shh," I whispered, pulling her close. "She probably just wanted to be alone. It's a lot to handle for a little girl."  
  
"Is it too much for her to handle?" Padmé asked, voicing her fears.  
  
"Maybe for any other girl, but not Leia. She's beyond her years," I said honestly. Truthfully, I felt a nagging doubt to my words, but I didn't want to voice them. I was just as worried as Padmé. Just as anxious to find her.  
  
"We'll go look for her," Padmé said. She paused. "No. You go look for her, Ani. She may be angry with me for lying to her. You never lied to her."  
  
"I'll find her," I promised Padmé, climbing out of bed. I didn't bother changing out of my sleep pants, but walked right out of the small room. Once outside, I was at a loss as where to look. I closed my eyes and tried to gather the Force around me, hoping that my agitation wouldn't be a block.  
  
I felt someone coming, and I snapped open my eyes just in time to recognize Obi-Wan. He looked less than thrilled to see me. "Obi-Wan," I called softly when he started to turn around.  
  
Obi-Wan turned around stiffly. "What do you want, Anakin?"  
  
"I want to know that you're okay," I said truthfully. "Or at least that you're going to be okay."  
  
Obi-Wan shrugged. "I really don't know."  
  
I wanted to yell at him for being a hypocrite. He forgave me for everything I had done, and yet he couldn't let it go that I had helped kill his child. I blushed as I realized how selfish and cruel I sounded. When I started to speak again, to apologize, Obi-Wan was gone.  
  
It took me a moment to remember Leia. I went on my way, keeping the Force close at hand. I felt presences all around me, but only a few of them were bright enough to be a Jedi. As I kept walking, I felt something muted, but sincere. Leia was nearby. Somehow she was shielding me out, but I could still sense her. I searched harder in the Force, and once I found her exact location, I ran all the way there.  
  
When I opened the doors, I recognized a small gym that I had used the other day for training. Master Yoda was standing in the middle of the room, the picture of calm as he looked up to see me. His eyes were sparkling merrily, and I recognized what was going on. Leia was wearing a helmet with a small lightsaber held out, fighting off stray laser bolts.  
  
Yoda called the machine to his hand, and the small round orb fit right in his palm. "Your father is here, Young One," he said, his voice cracking with joy. I hadn't heard him sound that way since I was a young Padawan under his instruction.  
  
Leia lifted the shield off of her face and turned to look at me. Instead of the cold hatred I expected, I saw warmth and excitement. "Did you see me?" she asked eagerly. "Did you see what I did?"  
  
"Yes, I did," I said, putting encouragement in my voice. "You were wonderful."  
  
Leia glowed. "I think I did all right. And Master Yoda promised to teach me again! He said that he's going to teach Luke too. My mom . . . I mean . . ." Leia trailed off, looking at the ground.  
  
"She's still your mother, Leia. Even if not by blood," I said gently.  
  
Leia looked up at me. "No. I can't do that to Aunt Padmé." She sighed. "What I was taught as a child doesn't even compare to what Master Yoda has said," she finished blandly.  
  
"Too much credit, you give," Yoda said, but he sounded pleased. "Go now. Worry about you, your family does."  
  
Leia looked guilty. "I'm sorry that I left. I didn't get back to sleep, I couldn't stop thinking about what you told me. Then I felt like I should be here."  
  
"A calling in the Force," Yoda explained. "Felt it too, I did."  
  
"You don't mind teaching the children?" I asked Master Yoda.  
  
"Doubt me, you do, eh?" Yoda laughed smugly. "Never doubt your elders, Young Boy."  
  
I smiled at the old pet name. "I'm glad that you didn't get killed, Master."  
  
"I as well," Yoda said solomnly. His sleepy eyes snapped open suddenly. "Back to your wife, you must go. Die of worry, she will, if you don't."  
  
"That's not very hard to believe. Come on, Leia."  
  
"I'm coming. Thank you, Master Yoda," Leia said politely before jogging the length of the gym to get next to me. She looked up at me and smiled charmingly. She held out her hand, and I took it, my happiness beyond words at that point.  
  
"You enjoyed Master Yoda's company?" I asked as we walked the journey back to Padmé's rooms.  
  
Leia nodded heartily. "Oh, yes. At first I was afraid of him, but he was happy and nice."  
  
"You haven't seen him on a bad day," I joked, winking at Leia as she giggled.  
  
"Is Aunt Padmé upset with me?" Leia asked.  
  
"No. She's worried beyond belief, though. Don't be surprised if you're attacked by her as soon as you step into the room."  
  
"What am I supposed to call her?" Leia asked desperately. "I'm not sure. I'm not sure of anything. Why did they lie to me?"  
  
"You can call her whatever you want, whatever you feel comfortable with," I advised her. I sighed warily. When would I escape my mistakes? "And they lied to you to keep you safe, as they said. To keep you safe from me."  
  
"From you?" Leia asked doubtfully.  
  
"I was bad for a very long time, Leia. Did you ever hear anyone speak of 'Darth Vader'?" I asked, dreading her answer.  
  
Leia made the connection immediately. She looked at me in fear, something I couldn't stand. "You were him?"  
  
"I was. That's over now. I'm a good man, Leia, and I won't ever hurt you or anyone else again."  
  
Leia watched me for a second. "I believe you," she finally said, conviction in her voice. "You're too innocent to be mean. You're eyes are hurting, I can tell. And if you're hurting, then you're feeling. If you're feeling compassion and guilt, then you are human. And if you are human, you won't be able to kill anybody again."  
  
Surprisingly, her words were soothing. I squeezed her hand. "Thank you," I whispered. "You certainly are a smart little girl."  
  
"I've heard that before," Leia said mock-casually. She grinned at me just as we reached the doors. They slid open, and our special dauther-father moment was ruined. Padmé must have used her little Force-sense to feel us coming, for the doors slid open, and she threw herself at her daughter, murmuring words of love and apology.  
  
Leia looked up at me from Padmé's shoulder. She smiled brightly at me. I savored that smile. It made the world seem all right again. If Leia said that I couldn't hurt people again, then she had to be right. I couldn't believe someone to pure and innocent could be wrong.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Author's Notes: I received quite a few reviews and emails asking about this fic. The truth is, I wanted to keep from writing it until I had planned out the entire series. However, I got quite a nasty review on my fic Pieces of the Puzzle talking about my lack of finishing fics. All right, so sometimes I dont finish a fic. I'm not saying that I'm ever going to finish some that I have up on my account. This one is different for me. I love this fic so much, and all of you who read this avidly I hope enjoy it too.  
  
Once I got to thinking about that, I just felt guilty. I've been there. A favorite fic, or just one that I liked a whole lot. The plot was going great, I would risk being late for classes just to read a new chapter. Then the author decides not to update anymore. Now, if I had lost interest in the fic, I wouldn't have felt so bad. But since I'm still interested in TRPA, I skimmed the last few chapters to get myself familiar with the flow again, then wrote this. I'm sorry if it's not what you expected, but I promise to keep updating this regularly, and I apologize profusely for being such a . . . well . . . dumbass. Yeah, that about sums it up.  
  
~Haley  
  
P.S. If you're interested in how Sabé and Obi-Wan got to where they are in this story, read my other fic series Chained to You. (Book One and part of Book Two are both out. If you want my plot, and not a TPM take off, try reading the second one.) 


	12. Forgiveness

AN: I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of the reviews so far. I've gotten over two hundred for this fic! The encouragement and compliments have been enough to feed my writer's appetite for years. (Not that I'm complaining!)  
  
On another note, I wanted to get this one out fast, so if you see any spelling or grammer mistakes, just kindly mention it to me and the next thing you know it'll be fixed! Remember to read the two companion pieces to this, available on my bio. (Yes, I'm shamelessly advertising. Sorry if that bothers you.)  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Anakin, can I talk to you?"  
  
I turned around very slowly from where I had been walking in a hallway, afraid to see who it really was who had questioned me. I knew I must have appeared shocked when I saw that it really was Obi-Wan. My former master was looking extremely nervous, but his features were more open than I had seen them since before he left for Yoda. I nodded numbly.  
  
"I . . ." Obi-Wan trailed off. "I talked to Padmé."  
  
"She told me."  
  
"Yeah, I figured she would." Obi-Wan rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I've been thinking a lot. There hasn't been much else to do."  
  
"What did you think about?"  
  
"My life," Obi-Wan said. He smiled bitterly. "Let me rephrase that. My past life."  
  
"And?"  
  
Obi-Wan paused for a long time, his eyes beseeching my own. When he finally did speak, he blurted it out with more relief with each passing word, as if he was happy to finally get it all off his shoulders. "I acted coldly to you. Unnecessarily so. Yoda tried to talk to me. We stayed on Dagobah for an extra day or so, but we didn't accomplish anything. And then I came back, and I lashed out at you, because you were the easiest one to blame. Obviously. But . . . I did some heavy meditating, and I . . . well, I guess you could say I was enlightened by an old friend. Anakin, everything happens for a reason. The Force controls everything to a certain extent. I'm a Jedi, and I should have known this."  
  
"Don't forgive me so easily," I interrupted. "I was supposed to bring balance to the Force, not make it terribly one-sided."  
  
"Don't get me started," Obi-Wan remarked dryly. "I hate pulling you out of the river of self-pity. I didn't forgive you easily. Needless to say, I'm still a little upset."  
  
"An understatement?"  
  
"An extreme understatement," Obi-Wan agreed. "But I can get over it. I talked to Sabé earlier, and we've . . . well, I can't quite say that things are ever going to be the same. But it's for the better. And I've made peace with what happened, Ani. It just took me awhile."  
  
A grin broke out on my face when he called me by my pet nickname. "I don't deserve you," I said; Obi-Wan didn't deny it.  
  
There was nothing left to say after that, and so we parted with tentative smiles. I felt as the gap that had grown between us had been recovered, but we still weren't where we had been a few weeks beforehand.  
  
I went straight to Padmé, wanting to share this with her. I felt elated for once, without the undercurrents of depression and darkness. Everything seemed to be going my way this time. She wasn't there, so I sought her out with the Force; I found her presence along with Sabé's and the childrens' in one of Sabé's visiting rooms.  
  
When I arrived there, I had to buzz the door. Bail didn't trust me enough to give me any security codes in the palace. I didn't mind. Much.  
  
It was Leia who opened the door, and she was smiling at me. Her smiles could change off and on. I recognized this as her quietly happy one. It wasn't like the brilliant ones she could sometimes create, but it would do. I reached down and picked her up. She let herself be slung onto my hip as I entered the room. Padmé and Sabé were sitting at a table, rapidly discussing something. Sabé, for once, didn't have dried tear tracks on her face, and her Force signature wasn't dark and clouded. Or, at least, not as dark and clouded as it had been. Luke was watching the holonews. He had become enraptured by the pleasure he'd never been given throughout his life. He looked up to give me a smile. Luke's smiles were always the same. Lopsided and boyish. Padmé informed me that he was going to be a real pill, that he took after me in many ways.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt," I said politely as Padmé and Sabé turned to look at me. I decided that what I had to say could wait. "Do you want me to take the children?"  
  
"Oh, would you?" Sabé asked, relieved. "I would have Irshaad take them, but he insists that Luke is none of his business. The children don't want to be seperated."  
  
"That's understandable. Do you guys want to go see Yoda?" I asked. looked up once more and leapt off his feet. "Will we get to learn Jedi tricks?" he asked eagerly. The children had taken quite a liking to the old, green Jedi Master, and Yoda seemed to be just as taken with them.  
  
"Don't you always?" I replied. Leia squeezed my shoulder softly to let me know she was pleased. I smiled and winked at Padmé as I took the children out of the room, Luke's tiny had gathered up in my own.  
  
"What did you guys do today?" I asked as we began our journey to the room where Yoda was staying. I had discovered that talking to four-year-olds was one of the most delightful pastimes in the galaxy. Especially my little four-year-olds. Where Leia was intelligent and mature, Luke was naive and innocent in his standard boyish way. They were both charming in completely opposite ways.  
  
"Mo--I mean, my old mother told Irshaad that he wasn't welcome in the castle anymore," Leia said, joy obvious in her voice and features.  
  
"I'll bet you're extremely disappointed," I said dryly. To Luke, "And what about you? Did you sit in front of the holo all day again?"  
  
"No. Mother said that it isn't healthy," Luke said, sounding every bit as if he disagreed with Padmé's notions. "Leia and I played a game."  
  
"What game was it?"  
  
"We pretended like we were Jedi, Daddy," Leia said eagerly. I noticed that she had taken to calling me 'Daddy' before calling Padmé 'Mother'. I knew that she only did as much because she hadn't been with Bail very much during her life, and that she certainly didn't love him in the way she loved Sabé. I just hoped Padmé realized this and didn't take it too much to heart.  
  
"You're not too far off the mark," I told them.  
  
"I know we *are* Jedi," Leia said, "but we pretended like we were bigger Jedi. Like you and Yoda."  
  
"And Obi-Wan," Luke added.  
  
Leia wrinkled her nose. "I don't like him."  
  
"Why ever not?" I asked, curious.  
  
"He made my mommy cry," Leia said matter-of-factly. "And he made me cry. He's very . . . discouraging."  
  
"He didn't make me or my mommy and daddy cry," Luke boasted. "He showed me stuff about space."  
  
"Well maybe he doesn't like . . . Aunt Sabé then," Leia said, her voice faltering at the name she had been instructed to call Sabé. She still felt awkward saying it, and a lot of the time she forgot to. But she was coping as well as could be expected.  
  
"No, Leia," I reassured her, "I think he likes your aunt Sabé very well."  
  
"Then why did he make her cry?" Leia asked softly, her eyes looking troubled as she stared at me.  
  
"Because sometimes that's what happens when you love somebody. I can't tell you the countless times I've made your mother cry."  
  
Leia looked even more troubled by this, but whatever she would have said was forgotten as we arrived at Yoda's door that moment. The old Jedi Master greeted us cheerfully and invited us in for some stew he was brewing. He said it was his very own concation from when he was on Dagobah. Luke was appalled by it, but he was too polite to say anything to the poor creature. That was one thing to thank Beru for. She had brought the boy up right so far. Leia ate it, but didn't say a word. I personally didn't care either way. I didn't focus on what I was eating, but simply on any advice that Master Yoda was giving out. Though Yoda had said I was a Jedi Master, I still felt as if I had much to learn about the Force.  
  
"Talked to Master Obi-Wan, have you?" Yoda asked of me as he poured his soup into four small bowls.  
  
"Yes, actually," I said, a smile coming to my face. "I think we're going to be okay."  
  
"Peace with the Force, he has made," Yoda said. He seemed troubled about something. He scratched his chin. "Not sure I am if right peace it is he has made."  
  
I stared blankly at Yoda. "What?"  
  
Yoda shook his head. " 'Tis important not. Eat up, children! Practice meditating, we will. A few pointers your father could do with," Yoda declared, finishing off with a delightful chuckle.  
  
"Gee, thanks," I muttered, though I knew it to be true. I hated meditating. Sitting still for hours upon hours just didn't appeal to me. It never had. There was so much more to do in life than sitting and thinking about prophecies and the union of the Force.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Later that night, after the children were asleep in their room, Padmé and I took a walk around the palace together. It was just like in the old days, and I felt that familiar thrill make its way up my arm because of the simple action of holding Padmé's hand.  
  
"I talked to Obi-Wan today," I began softly as we stepped into the gardens. I had wanted to make sure we had moderate privacy before I told her.  
  
Padmé's hand tightened briefly. "What happened?" she asked gravely.  
  
I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Nothing short of a miracle. More or less, he said that there were no hard feelings between us. I couldn't quite believe at the time."  
  
"Oh, Ani, that's wonderful!" Padmé exclaimed. She smiled jovially up at me. "I was worried about him. You forget sometimes, that Obi-Wan and I had a moderate friendship going. He was my husband's fondest mentor and my best friend's lover. I worried about his behavior just as much as you two did."  
  
"And you had the guts to tell him he was a Sith head about it," I said admiringly. "From his severe behavior change, I'm going to assume you did just what you did best: spit fire."  
  
Padmé raised her eyebrows. "So *that's* what I do best, huh?"  
  
I smirked. "Well . . ."  
  
"That's what I thought," Padmé said. She sighed heavily, her thoughts turned elsewhere.  
  
"Did he talk to Sabé as well?" I asked. I had suspected this, and since Padmé hadn't brought anything up, I felt it was my duty to get the information out of her somehow.  
  
"Yes, but he didn't smooth things over," Padmé said. She blew out a quick breath frustratedly. "I feel like it's my fault too."  
  
"How could it be your fault? You have nothing to do with them or their long- lasting affair."  
  
"I encouraged Sabé to marry Bail. In fact, I even suggested it," Padmé said gloomily.  
  
"And if Obi-Wan had any sense, he would have married Sabé before she got a chance to get away," I countered logically.  
  
"That's just not it. Sabé never loved Bail, and she never will. But I found out that she was pregnant, and I knew what would happen. She was too happy to think about the consequences of such a baby."  
  
"And what, might I ask, were the consequences? I wouldn't have gone after Obi-Wan's child if that's what you meant. I wasn't *that* far off." I paused. "Yet."  
  
Padmé smiled. "I'm glad to see that you can joke about Vader finally, and, no, that's not what I meant. Obi-Wan had a bounty over his head higher than practically any other at the time. I'm assuming that was your doing?"  
  
I shut my eyes, dreading what she would say next. "Yes. I wanted him . . . I wanted him to join up with me and the Emperor. I wasn't going to *kill* him, you see, just . . . encourage him."  
  
"I believe you. I don't think you'd ever be able to kill Obi-Wan. No matter how evil you got. Even if you were Darth Vader for eighteen years."  
  
I highly doubted that, but I let Padmé think she was right. I think she might have shut her mind off a little bit from what I'd been through. She was too good to be able to fully understand Vader's hate and lust for revenge. "About the bounty?" I prodded, wanting to change the subject.  
  
"Well, it wasn't exactly hidden from the public that Sabé and Obi-Wan were lovers, was it? And if Sabé was pregnant, everyone would know who the father was."  
  
"And if they could their hands on her or the child they would have used her to get to Obi-Wan," I finished for her. Despite it all, I managed to feel admiration towards my wife for thinking about the future when Sabé hadn't been able to.  
  
"Exactly. I knew Bail was a friend of ours, a loyal one at that, and he knew Obi-Wan well too from the war. I talked to him first, and he agreed to do it. Then I had to talk Sabé into it. She only agreed because she thought Obi-Wan dead and wanted to at least protect the baby."  
  
"And then it turned out that Obi-Wan was still alive."  
  
"Yes. And I can't help but think that if I hadn't encouraged her, she and Obi-Wan would be free to be together now. That's the only thing holding them back. Or rather, *him*. He says that she belongs to another man, and he would never be able to continue anything with her. She's utterly miserable."  
  
"Padmé, that's not your fault," Anakin said, stopping to pull her close. "You *saved* them. If it hadn't been for me, your decision would have been the right one considering. Just think if that child had been able to live. Would you rather the public to have thought it Obi-Wan's or Bail's?"  
  
"I know," Padmé said reluctantly. "I still can't help but feel guilty though. Sabé's heart is breaking more and more each day. But, let's not think about that. Tell me about the children."  
  
"They're amazing," I said, letting her change the subject because the topic she suggested made my heart soar so much. I flashed her a smile, and we continued to walk. "Leia certainly has adjusted well."  
  
"She's four. I don't know what it would have been like if we told her a few years from now."  
  
"Yoda seems like a different person completely around them. I feel as if I had taken something important from him, and that maybe I can make up for it through the children. I don't ever want to cause him heartache again. Yoda was made for teaching children. You should see the way he just lights up when he knows that Luke and Leia are going to visit him."  
  
Padmé stopped walking suddenly, a well of emotions surging over her face. "As soon as possible, we are all relocating to an unknown planet where we will then raise our children and enjoy life as much as possible. I don't want any more of this, Ani, I really don't."  
  
I felt a pang in my heart at the sadness conveyed in her eyes. I wrapped my arms around her waist. "And all I want is to let that happen for you."  
  
Padmé's eyes fell, sensing my apprehension. "But . . .?"  
  
"But," I continued, "we're not working fast enough. The Empire is rebuilding itself, and we're planning a surprise attack on them. They might not know we're coming."  
  
"How are they rebuilding?" Padmé demanded.  
  
"Because Palpatine brainwashed so many people that they actually believe that his ways were best. As much as I hate to say it, Padmé, I don't think our dream will ever come true. We're too tied in with everything that's going on in the Core, that we could never disappear."  
  
Padmé sighed heavily. "I know," she admitted. "But a girl can dream can't she?"  
  
I kissed her forehead tenderly, and we continued on our walk, keeping quiet and enjoying a silence that only two people comfortable with each other can endure. Meanwhile, I felt guilt rise up in my throat. It was true what I said, both of us were too deaply involved with the beginning of this new era in the galaxy, but I vowed to myself at that moment that I would make Padmé's dream come true. Someday, we would live an unobtrusive life where we could raise our children. 


	13. Moving On

The next few weeks went along smoothly. It seemed so easy to just let the days slide by, slipping into a routine. Although Obi-Wan was still a little wary around me, he seemed to have come to his peace. Together we helped comb through potential Rebals. It was surprising that I had found the numbers so high when I first started. Now it seemed as if we didn't have enough. The ones that we knew were strong in the Force were sent to Yoda. He trained them without complaint, but I could see the tiredness in his eyes, the weariness that was braided into his Force signature. The only time Yoda seemed to have any solace at all was with the twins.  
  
Leia and Luke had taken to Yoda just as much as he'd taken to them. The kids were constantly showing Padmé and I little tricks that they learned. I thought it quite amusing to have them practice meditating when I was tired. Padmé always scolded me, but she didn't stop me. Suddenly having two four- year-olds around was overwhelming, and I knew she was feeling it too. We weren't complaining -- not at all! We loved Luke and Leia, and our family had begun to grow together. It was a strange feeling that had me glowing most of the time.  
  
Sabé often came to visit. Leia had been instructed by Sabé to call her 'Aunt', and, being a four-year-old, Leia had slipped the word in and was groing used to it. Sabé's eyes were less sad than I'd seen before. She and Obi-Wan talked occasionally, and I knew that Yoda was training her along with everything else. She had changed so much since we first arrived on Alderaan. Gone was the slowly dying woman, forced to live a life she didn't want, her only joy in her adopted daughter and sister. Every once in awhile I caught glimpses of the woman I once knew, back before the Emperor. She had been vibrant, loving, full of energy and life.  
  
She was bringing Padmé back into the swing of things as well. Everything seemed the way it had been five years before. They spent a lot of time having 'girl-talk', pretending that we weren't about to go attack the remants of the Empire. Padmé seemed happier and more content than I'd ever seen her, even back when we'd been just married. She was made to be a mother, I saw it in her eyes, and I felt terrible thinking that I might have taken that from her.  
  
Bail was . . . well, Bail was his usual self. He had fun glaring at me every chance he got. But, in some ways, he seemed to have gotten worse. As Sabé became more like her old self, it seemed that Bail withdrew more and more inside. I was confused as to what to feel. I knew from various moments that Bail loved Sabé. She had no idea, and, granted, he wasn't that great at showing it, but I felt bad for Bail and therefore didn't respond when he jibed at me. He had too many problems himself. Especially since I suspected Sabé might ask for a divorce. I was starting to wonder why she hadn't already. But nobody talked about Obi-Wan and Sabé, especially not to their faces. I only got tidbits from Padmé when we were in bed together.  
  
I think that even I had begun to become content and happy. I had no complaints. And, with each passing day filled with joy and laughter, Vader seemed to grow quieter. It wasn't a big change, just a slight one, but I could enjoy myself and my family without him brooding over my shoulder, whispering evilness into my soul. He would always be on the outskirts of my mind, but it seemed that I had gotten the better of him. All because of the one thing that I had and he couldn't have, couldn't even understand: love.  
  
"You're early."  
  
I jumped, startled out of the reflecting I'd been doing. Obi-Wan was leaning casually in the doorway of the small gym we'd taken over for Jedi purposes. Yoda had it during the day, but I came in the early morning to do simple exercises. "You are too," I replied.  
  
Obi-Wan walked into the gym, tsking. "Day dreaming again, Anakin? That's what always got you into trouble, you know."  
  
"I wasn't day dreaming," I said defensively. Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow. "I was . . . thinking."  
  
"Uh-huh," Obi-Wan said absently. "That's not why I'm here though."  
  
"And why are you here?" I asked, a smile slowly crossing my face as I saw the energy in his eyes. I could always tell when Obi-Wan had something fun in mind.  
  
With a small movement of his arm, he had his lightsaber in hand. He looked at me questioningly. "Want to see who can kick who's ass first?"  
  
"I don't know," I said doubtfully, standing up slowly. "I wouldn't want to stomp all over your male pride. Not when we have to work together the rest of the day."  
  
Obi-Wan smirked. "You always were damned cocky."  
  
I flashed him my best smile. "If the shoe fits . . ."  
  
Obi-Wan let out great laugh as he turned on his lightsaber. "You also always knew how to make me laugh." He got into the typical defense stance, and I followed suit quickly.  
  
Out lightsabers hit with a hissing sizzle, sending my blood pumping with adrenaline. We danced across the gym, always hitting blade against blade, never too hard to injure the other. My shoulders felt light, my head clear. I didn't want to be cooped up in a room, doing the same thing over and over again with a different man each time, searching for Jedi. I wanted to be in action. I wanted to use my lightsaber. I wanted the old days again.  
  
I don't know who hit the ground first, or if we both just collapsed at the same time, but suddenly we were both on the ground, panting, flushed, full of energy. "You're getting old," I told Obi-Wan.  
  
Obi-Wan responded easily, "You're the one who gave up, Padawan."  
  
My mood only seemed to get better at the old title. "I believe it was you, *Master*, who gave up."  
  
Obi-Wan didn't bother to reply. He smiled at me, chest still heaving. I smiled back, the thrill lighting up my face. "Maybe we both gave up," I admitted.  
  
"Match for match," Obi-Wan said. He sighed. "You know, to be honest, I was always afraid of the next time I went against you. A premonition, I guess. I figured if I went up against Darth Vader, I'd be flattened to the ground. You know, I just barely got the better of you the last time. And I had a planet of volcanoes on my side."  
  
"Not in the mood for insights now. Just spit it out," I said, knowing he was trying to get at something.  
  
Obi-Wan looked at his hands. "I'm just glad you're back, you know? I'm glad that we're like we used to be. Not a day passed by where I didn't miss you, miss the old brawls we used to get into. We always had fun together."  
  
"Yeah, I missed you too. Even when Vader was dominant, I missed you," I said. I reached over and gave Obi-Wan a sharp rap on his back. The moment turned awkward, but it was still a moment. I spent the rest of the day in a glow. Obi-Wan didn't seem too bad himself.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Did you do anything interesting?" Padmé asked absently as I walked into our room later that day. I thought for the millionth time that we really needed to get a bigger apartment. Once Coruscant was Replubic again, we'd probably set up base there. Padmé would want to be near the Senate.  
  
"Of course not," I scoffed. "When do I ever?"  
  
Padmé looked up from sitting at our small table looking over paperwork to return a short kiss. "Luke and Leia want you to talk them to 'Uncle Yoda'."  
  
I smiled slowly. "Get them out of the apartment for awhile, huh? I might change my answer about doing something interesting."  
  
"Don't hold your breath," Padmé said. She looked at me under lowered lashes. "As much as I'd like to entertain both you and I, I've been feeling really worn out and tired lately. You stay with the kids. It'll be a good bonding experience for you."  
  
I groaned, but secretly I didn't think it was so bad. I think Padmé knew that.  
  
"Do you think Sabé is going to ask Bail for a divorce?" I asked casually.  
  
Padmé shook her head, her eyes turning dark. "I know she's not going to do that. Bail wouldn't give her one anyway. For one thing he doesn't believe in divorce. For another--"  
  
"He's in love with her and won't let her go," I finished for her, nodding shortly. "I know."  
  
Padmé smiled weakly. "I don't think Sabé knows. Force knows he's not one for showing it."  
  
"Even if he did show it, do you think it would make a difference?" I said gently.  
  
Padmé shook her head, sighed. "I know it wouldn't. Sabé has been Obi-Wan's since they met. A ring and a husband isn't going to change that. I just wish . . . not that Bail and Sabé could work it out, because I wouldn't want her to be with someone she doesn't love, but I wish that Bail would find somebody. He's like my brother, and I love him dearly. I see what it does to him, being in love with someone who doesn't and hasn't ever loved him back."  
  
"If he keeps up his disposition, I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon," I grumbled, rolling my eyes.  
  
Padmé smiled slightly. "Yeah, I guess you're right."  
  
I leaned down and gave her another kiss. "Love you."  
  
"I love you too," Padmé replied. "But I'll love you even more if you get the kids out of here."  
  
"I'm here to oblige," I said gentlemanly.  
  
Padmé winked. "I'll keep that in mind."  
  
"You'd better," I informed her gravely as I went to the room where Leia and Luke were probably playing. I opened the door, and just as I suspected they were playing what looked to be house. "You kids ready to go see Master Yoda?"  
  
They both leaped up and ran to me. "Do we get a light saber yet, Dad?" Luke demanded, as he did everytime.  
  
I laughed, ruffled his hair. "Maybe. We'll see."  
  
"Cuz I already know how to use one, you know," Luke continued. "I got that man that tried to kill you and Mommy."  
  
"Yes, you did," I said, letting a tone of awe enter my voice. I took his small hand in my own, smothering it in my adult-size palms. "You're obviously my son."  
  
Luke grinned, taking it as a compliment. He didn't realize that I was also complimenting myself sarcastically. I smiled slightly and held out my other palm for Leia. Hers went cooly into mine.  
  
Leia was frowning as we left our apartment.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked her.  
  
"Daddy -- I mean, my old daddy -- is upset," Leia murmured.  
  
"Do you know what's wrong?"  
  
"No. He's upset though."  
  
I groaned inwardly. He better not have run into Obi-Wan. I could sense the two were avoiding each other like the plague, and I was starting to fear what they would do to each other when the moment came where they met again.  
  
"Daddy, when you go away, will you take me with you?" Luke asked suddenly, his question dropping out of nowhere.  
  
I was confused, but nodded. "Of course. You go wherever I go."  
  
"What about me?" Leia demanded.  
  
"You too," I assured her. "I don't go anywhere without my family. That means you two and your mommy."  
  
"You went before," Luke pointed out.  
  
"And I'm not leaving again," I said firmly. "You can trust me on this thing, Luke, if you can't trust me on any other."  
  
Luke seemed satisfied with that and continued to skip along next to me, trying to keep up with my long legs. I tried not to laugh at the picture he made.  
  
"Will you tell me how you fell in love with Mommy?" Leia asked. "Mommy told me how you fell in love with her today."  
  
"Did she now?" I asked, amused.  
  
"Yup. She said that you were . . . persistant."  
  
"That I was. I'll tell you before you go to bed, all right?"  
  
"Thank you." Leia's eyes darted daringly up to mine as she added lovingly, "Daddy."  
  
I squeezed her hand lightly, and she returned the gesture.  
  
A few seconds later we used Yoda's Gym, as I had fondly nicknamed it. Yoda seemed to know we'd arrive, and he was ready, waiting for us. His eyes were grave, not even lighting up at the sight of children, and his hands were folded carefully over his walking stick. I bowed to him with the twins, and he nodded his head in acknowledgement.  
  
"Grim, it is," Yoda muttered.  
  
"What is?" I asked conversationally.  
  
Yoda looked up at me. "The air. You feel it not? Grim, such grimness. Very bad things to come, I feel." Yoda finished, nodding his head to add to the gravity of his voice.  
  
I felt dread growing. Yoda's predictions always came true. "What do you mean exactly, Yoda?"  
  
Yoda didn't want to talk about it anymore though, I could tell. He began to talk to the children, asking them simple things such as how their mother was. Knowing that I wasn't needed, I left the gym, planning on walking around and maybe casually running into Obi-Wan. I wasn't sure what I'd say to him if I did, but I knew I wanted to talk to him. Maybe he knew what Yoda was talking about.  
  
I wandered the now-familiar halls with my hands in crossed across my chest. I didn't come across more than a few guards. Then I heard shouting, and I quickly followed the sound.  
  
". . .Deserve her!" Bail was yelling at someone, his voice full of desperation. "You don't even care anything about her, never did."  
  
My sensitive ears picked up Obi-Wan's quiet reply. "That's not true."  
  
"It is!" Bail insisted. "You left her with a baby, with only me to provide for her. Now you want to take her away from me! You're a selfish bastard, Kenobi. Are you going to let her drop again?"  
  
"I can give you my word, I won't," Obi-Wan, his voice edged with anger. "And I can also give you my word that I am not trying to 'steal' Sabé from you."  
  
"Why should I believe you?" Bail paused. "I put in the effort. I take care of her and the child and Padmé. I do everything for her, set her future in stone. And she wants *you*."  
  
Obi-Wan kept quiet.  
  
"Well, I'll tell you something, Kenobi. She won't get you. No, you don't deserve her. *I* deserve her, *I* do. I put in time, I put in effort--"  
  
"Do you even love her?" Obi-Wan demanded, his voice suddenly full of passion. "Do you care about her? Is she anything more than a trophy to you -- a beautiful woman to put on your arm, to show off? Someone to make miserable day-in and day-out. What did you do to her? She has changed so completely in only four years that I don't even recognize her."  
  
"That was your doing, Kenobi," Bail said coldly. "You left her."  
  
"I left her not by personal choice! Obi-Wan defended. "Do you think I wanted to leave her? Do you think I *wanted* to live as a hermit in the desert for four long years? I'll give you one big hint, so big that even you can't miss the answer: No! My life has been hell since the Empire rose. But I could not be selfish and stay with Sabé. One selfish act could have lead to the destruction of the galaxy."  
  
I heard stomping, and a minute later Obi-Wan passed right by me. He must have seen me, but he didn't acknowledge me. The hallway was quiet for a moment, then I heard crying. I knew it was Bail, and despite my contempt for him I felt compassion.  
  
I walked into the little off hallway where the two had been arguing. Bail straightened immediately, started rubbing his cheeks furiously. I pretended not to notice.  
  
"Do you want something?" Bail said gruffly.  
  
"Yes. No." I stood there awkwardly for a moment.  
  
"I'm a busy man," Bail said, brushing past me. "Until you have something intelligent to say, leave me alone, Skywalker."  
  
I stood there for a while after he left, wincing at my stupidness. For some reason I wanted to help Bail, even though he'd been nothing but horrible to me. I understood now that that was just protectiveness of the women in his life. But Bail didn't seem close to forgiving me. Especially not with Obi- Wan around.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The following day I met Obi-Wan in our little "office". Obi-Wan didn't say anything for awhile, obviously wanting to keep to himself, but I couldn't contain the same restraint.  
  
"Has that happened before?" I asked suddenly, interrupting the tense quiet in the room.  
  
Obi-Wan didn't even pretend not to know what I was talking about. "Yes, only a few times. It's nothing I can't handle, Ani."  
  
"I believe it," I murmured. "Does Sabé know?"  
  
Obi-Wan's shoulders stiffened at the mention of her name. "Why would she need to know?"  
  
"Well, I think any woman should like to know two men are fighting over her."  
  
Obi-Wan shot me an annoyed look. "I'm not in the mood for your attempts at humor, Skywalker."  
  
"Oooh, back to surnames, are we?" I taunted.  
  
Obi-Wan sighed, rested his head in his hands. "I just can't take it, Anakin. If I try to, I might break. Everything is hitting me at once, and I've realized that I'm neither strong nor brave. Bravery is not about what you do out in battle. Bravery is about facing up to your problems, being a man about them, and creating your life the way you want it. Bravery is about *living*." He looked away suddenly. I'd known him for too long to think that was the end of his speech.  
  
"And you aren't really living when you're not with Sabé," I finished for him.  
  
Obi-Wan shrugged uncomfortably. "Don't turn this into some melodramatic holosoap, Anakin."  
  
"Oh, you know those stupid things are nothing compared to the way our love lives have always been," I said lightly.  
  
Obi-Wan managed to crack a smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Maybe we should give a studio a little idea. Forbidden Love, we could call it. That would get people watching."  
  
"We could make millions," I added.  
  
Obi-Wan truly smiled. "Thanks, Ani. I don't understand how you do it, but you always manage to put me in a better mood."  
  
"That's what good friends are for."  
  
"Yup. Guess so," Obi-Wan said awkwardly.  
  
The doors flew open suddenly, via Darth Vader syle. Bail marched into the room, shoulders straight, head high.  
  
"Did you want something?" I asked nonchalantly.  
  
"Yes, I wanted something," Bail snapped. "Why else would I bother spending voluntary time with either of you?"  
  
"Because you're a bitter man secretly yearning for friendship?" I suggested.  
  
Bail glared at me, and that shut me up. "I came to inform you that the Empire has not been crushed by just the destruction of their Emperor and Darth Vader." Bail paused dramatically. "They've already chosen a new leader, and they're starting to regroup."  
  
My heart stopped cold. "Well, I guess we knew this was going to happen."  
  
Bail's smile grew malicious. "Oh, but that's just the beginning. There are so few rebals, as you know. So I let Koen know that you two would be glad to help in any way you can. You're leaving with the rest of them next week. Until then, you'll finish this project that you started." 


	14. The End For Now

Bail swept out of the room in the same fashion he'd entered. I sat in a kind of shock, his words echoing in my mind as I attempted to grasp the meaning behind them. I knew the weight of his words, and yet I didn't fully understand at the same time. Next to my own mixed emotions, I felt Vader's delight as he considered how this little twist could turn in his direction.  
  
I snapped out of my stupor when I heard a thud, reverberating through the air. I jumped slightly, and my eyes glued to Obi-Wan. From the way he was rubbing his fist and cursing, I assumed that the sound I'd heard was him punching the wall.  
  
"Why'd you do that?" I asked stupidly, relieved for a chance to end the suffocating silence.  
  
"Impoluse," Obi-Wan muttered. He looked upwards and met my gaze. His eyes were intense and full of an angry fire I didn't often see in my former Master. "You know why he's doing this, right?"  
  
I looked at him blankly.  
  
"To get back at us," Obi-Wan explained. "He can't deal with us like a real man, so he's sending us off to be killed."  
  
"Why does he want to get back at us? What have we done that's *this* offensive?" I demanded, feeling anger bubbling up inside my chest, burning me from the inside the same way I saw it in Obi-Wan's eyes.  
  
"His wife is in love with me, and you took his alleged daughter." Obi-Wan's voice turned caustic. "Of course, he doesn't give a sith about either of them. It's all a matter of pride to him. Neither Leia nor Sabé where ever his, so why does he want them now?"  
  
"Because he's holding on to the way his life was," I said quietly in a burst of insight. "And you're wrong about Sabé, Obi-Wan. He does love her."  
  
Obi-Wan stopped the nervous pacing he'd started to stare at me. "Well, he has a damn funny way of showing it! Making her miserable day in and day out." He paused and shut his eyes tightly, as if he was overwhelmed by his emotions. When he began speaking again, his voice was strained. "I have an ongoing battle with myself to stay away from her. I love her, she loves me. Why can't the Force just let us be? I have worked my ass off for this galaxy. I've done so much more than all these people who get to be happy. I've been so much more then them. I want a chance at happiness, to have the rest of my life to let myself be with the one I love. Haven't I done enough already to satisfy the Force?'  
  
I watched my friend and mentor crumble before me, let the walls tumble down and reveal himself before me. I'd been waiting for this, waiting for this chance to bond with him. Only now that it was here, I didn't know what to say, how to offer comfort to him. Was there anything I could actually do? The only things Obi-Wan wanted anymore were impossible for him to have. And it was all his fault.  
  
Obi-Wan used that moment to regain control. He took a deep breath. "Look, Ani, let me be alone for awhile. To hell with Bail, let's blow him off today." He paused just outside of the door. "You may want to use this time to be with Padmé and the children. Who knows how much time you have left with them?"  
  
Obi-Wan left, and I followed a few minutes afterward, feeling numb as I walked carefully back to my apartment. His words stung me, made me think of something I had been too busy to remember. The three most important people in my life, and I hadn't even thought of them. I opened the door to find Sabé and Padmé sitting at the table and talking. Luke and Leia must have been playing or out with Leia's body guard.  
  
Padmé and Sabé stopped talking abruptly at my entrance. Padmé took one look at my face and rushed to my side, putting her hands on my upper arms. "What's wrong? What's happened?" she asked frantically, fearing the worse.  
  
"Is it Obi-Wan?" Sabé added, holding a hand to her chest as if to slow her heartbeat, her eyes brimming with fear.  
  
"Yes and no," I admitted. Padmé gently led me to the bed to sit down.  
  
"Tell me what happened!" Sabé commanded shrilly. She looked torn between rushing to Obi-Wan and staying to find out what happened.  
  
"Your kind husband is sending Obi-Wan and me off to fight against the Empire," I said bitterly.  
  
"Bail?" Sabé gasped when it had sunk in.  
  
Padmé's lips set in a harsh line. "Why is he doing this? I don't want you going away again, Ani. Especially not to go risk your life."  
  
I clasped her hands in mine, ignored the sound of Sabé leaving the room. "Padmé, I have a duty," I said reluctantly. Her eyes blanked, shutting off all emotions. I tightened my grip, trying to keep her with me, to understand. "You know it too, Padmé." Impulsively, I leaned forward and burried myself in her hair. "I'll come back in one piece, don't worry. I've done this before, haven't I?"  
  
Padmé disentangled herself from me slowly. She stood up from her kneeling position in front of me. "You mean you're okay with this?" she asked in a dangerously quiet tone.  
  
"It doesn't matter whether I'm okay or not," I said. "I take what life gives me."  
  
Padmé closed her eyes briefly. I realized that my simple statement had hurt her more than violence could. She opened her eyes again and leveled them on me. "Will you watch the children, please? I want to be alone, to think."  
  
I nodded, trying to look as if I understood. Secrectly, I was glad that she wasn't kicking or screaming, running off to yell at Bail. Though her reaction was odd, I preferred it over what I had expected. She left quietly, leaving me sitting on the bed.  
  
I let my hand hang in my hands, leaning on my knees. What was wrong with me? I didn't want this. I didn't want to leave. But there was a yearning inside of me. Yesterday I had fought with Obi-Wan and realized that that was what I wanted to do, I wanted to fight for good, I wanted my light saber put to good use. But what about Padmé? And Luke and Leia?  
  
I felt a pressure building up inside. Vader was joyfully taunting me, telling me that maybe I didn't really love my family. I was secretly looking for a way out. Even if that meant death.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
I jumped, not expecting to be interrupted. The twins stood in front of me, their angellic faces looking concerned for me. Why had I begun to listen to Vader? Even to believe him?  
  
I reached out with both my arms and scooted Luke and Leia into my embracing, clutching them tight and drawing comfort from them. When I finally let go, they looked even more worried than before.  
  
"What's wrong, Daddy?" Luke asked, his voice soft and caring. "Why are you feeling so bad?"  
  
I struggled with trying to come up with a way to explain what was happening to a four-year-old. "Daddy might have to go away," I explained. "And I don't know if I'll come back."  
  
"Why are you leaving?" Leia demanded, stiffening her spine.  
  
"Don't you like us?" Luke added, looking a little hurt.  
  
"No." I smiled softly. "I love you two and your mother. I'm not leaving by personal choice. You see, the galaxy is full of many bad people right now, and we have to fight to get our galaxy back into good hands. We're short of people, and it's only natural that I have to go. They might need me."  
  
"I need you too!" Leia said suddenly, throwing her arms around my neck. I was surprised yet again. Leia usually kept cool, and though she let you know she cared about you, she didn't do it in the bursts of compassion that Luke enjoyed.  
  
"I need you," I whispered as I kissed the top of her head. "More than I ever thought I would ever need anybody." It was true. I needed my family even more than I had needed my mom after we were seperated, after she died. But I also needed to be free. To be in the action of things.  
  
"What about me?" Luke asked, his lower lip trembling.  
  
I ruffled his hair fondly and pulled him into a group hug. "Yeah, I need you too, Luke."  
  
"I know," Luke said, satisfied.  
  
And I didn't doubt that he did know. But I wondered . . . if Luke was as perceptive as he sometimes seemed to be, what else could he sense about my inner turmoils?  
  
* * * * *  
  
Padmé didn't come back until well into the evening. I spent most of the day with Luke and Leia, playing with them. I hadn't gotten a chance to since I'd started working with the Jedi Rebels, and I even forgot about my problems for awhile.  
  
As we were sitting down with a holo film, the doors opened to show Padmé. Her cheeks were red from crying, and her eyes were dull and lifeless. I immediately got off the bed and went to her, putting my arms around her waist and looking down at her.  
  
"Are you okay, Mommy?" Luke asked, his bright blue eyes observing us both.  
  
I nodded to him. "You guys watch your movie. Your mother and I are going to step outside for a few minutes to talk."  
  
"Okay," Luke said compliantly, looking back at the holo. His eyebrows were knitted together in worry, and Leia was watching Padmé and me curiously.  
  
I opened the doors and brought Padmé outside, holding both her hands in mine. "Are you really okay, Padmé?" I asked, keeping my voice low since we weren't technically in private.  
  
Padmé's eyes looked up at me emotionlessly. "Are you going to go? Leave again?"  
  
I looked away, let go of her hands. "I don't know," I said with a sigh. I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "I don't want to. I've got you and the kids."  
  
"But . . ." Padmé prodded.  
  
"But," I said for her benefit. I exhaled loudly. "I just don't know, Padmé. You know me, you know what I'm like. I can't just stay in one place at one time and do . . . nothing."  
  
Padmé nodded, biting her lip. "I know, Ani," she said quietly. "You have too much compassion in your soul, and you feel like you need to help the universe. But . . . couldn't you do that after this mess blows over? We can move to Coruscant. You could even help set up a new Jedi Council."  
  
"If that's what you want," I said immediately.  
  
Padmé looked miserable. "I want what you want, Anakin. I don't want you to choose a path that's going to make you unhappy just because of me."  
  
I didn't know what to say, what to tell her, or what to choose. So I, naturally, changed the subject subtly. "Where have you been?"  
  
"I went to Sabé's, to wait for her and think for awhile. When she came back, she told me that she'd talked to Bail. He's really doing this because he needs to, Anakin. He's going to be going too."  
  
I raised my eyebrows. "What?"  
  
"I know, but it shouldn't be so shocking. He was in the war four years ago, why not finish what he started? He's been planning this ever since the Empire came about. And we're short. Sabé and I would go too--"  
  
"No, you wouldn't," I cut in harshly.  
  
Padmé smiled faintly. "I said we *would* go. But Sabé has to take Bail's place in a way. She needs to represent Aldeeran, to address the people and keep them calm."  
  
"And you need to take care of our children," I continued for her.  
  
Padmé's eyes misted over. She reached up impulsively and kissed me softly. "Yes, I need to take care of the children."  
  
I studied her face for a moment, unable to figure her out.  
  
"Have either of you seen Sabé?"  
  
We both jumped apart, surprised at the sudden intrusion. Obi-Wan was walking down the hallway towards us, wearing his somber Jedi robes.  
  
"She should be in her room," Padmé said. "I just came from there."  
  
Obi-Wan shook his head. "She's not there." He smiled grimly. "You already told her then?"  
  
"I'm sorry," I apologized. "She was in our apartment when I came in, and she was worried about you."  
  
Obi-Wan's lips turned up slightly. "Yeah," he said softly. "She's like that." He cleared his throat. "Um, do you think she might be . . . talking to Organa or something?" Obi-Wan's blue eyes hardened as he said the name.  
  
"She already did," Padmé said. "How did you know she would?"  
  
Obi-Wan shrugged. "I just know her, that's all. What did His Highness say?"  
  
"Bail isn't trying to get rid of us," I explained. I shrugged. "He's going with us. We *really* are short of men. I knew so too, but I just jumped to conclusions."  
  
Obi-Wan looked shocked. "He's going with us? You mean, he'll be in the same ship with us?"  
  
"You've been living in the same palace with him for months," Padmé reminded him.  
  
"It's gotten worse lately," Obi-Wan said. "It just keeps getting worse, and I'm getting to the point where I can't just let him yell it out without giving him a piece of my mind too. Someday we're going to be the end of each other."  
  
"That's comforting," Padmé said sarcastically. She sobered. "You know what I want you to do, Obi-Wan?"  
  
"What?" Obi-Wan asked warily.  
  
"I want you to talk to Sabé again before you leave. I want you to tell her that you love her even if you can't do anything about it."  
  
"Pad--"  
  
"No, listen," Padmé snapped. "Sabé won't be able to live with herself if something happened to you, and I want her to be comforted while you're gone. You don't have to do anything to contradict your Jedi morals. Just let her know that you care about her. It's all she needs."  
  
Obi-Wan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess I'll think about it." He started to back away. "I'll go find her now."  
  
"You do that," Padmé said to his retreating back. She turned back to face me and before I had time to react, she took my face in her hands and kissed me passionately. When she pulled away, she was smiling. "I love you. Don't forget that."  
  
"I'm not leaving today, Padmé," I said.  
  
"Then I'll tell you I love you every day until you do," Padmé rationalized. She looked at me expectantly.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I love you too," I said, pretending to be forced to say so.  
  
Padmé laughed lightly. She opened the doors, then turned around seriously. "You have to promise me you'll come back. And not just come back, but come back as you are now."  
  
I kissed her softly; a kiss of promise. "How can I not when you and the children are back here waiting for my return?"  
  
We entered the apartment, and I realized that what I said was true. I wouldn't let anything happen to me. In fact, I would probably rush the battle . . . all because of my family. I didn't want to leave them, but if I had to to make the galaxy a better place for them, then I would.  
  
* * * * *  
  
It was two weeks later that we left. The rest of our meager army were already on the ship. Since Bail was the king, he was allowed a few extra minutes to say good bye to his family. Naturally, Obi-Wan and I stayed back with him.  
  
Sabé was discussing last minute business matters with Bail, but her eyes kept moving to look at Obi-Wan. I knew she wanted to say good bye to him. I could tell by the relaxation in her face that Obi-Wan had done as Padmé had instructed. Even Obi-Wan was looking calmer and more at peace.  
  
It was decided that Yoda not go with us. He would stay behind and meditate. If the need arose, we had a special frequency just for Yoda. He would have a special portable comm unit with him at all times. He was talking quietly to Obi-Wan, on the floating device he used to be at a height to talk to humans.  
  
I was with my family.  
  
Luke was wrapped around one of my legs. Leia was watching with eyes brimming with tears. Padmé was hugging me tightly and whispering words of love and devotion.  
  
"Don't leave!" Luke cried out.  
  
Padmé kissed me one last time. "I love you, Ani."  
  
"I know," I replied. "I love you too." I looked down at Luke. "I even love you, believe it or not."  
  
Because Luke had gotten his father's attention, he loosened his grip enough for me to pick him up. He giggled, then went back to his melencholy expression. "You've got to take care of Mom, Leia, and Sabé for us, okay?"  
  
Luke looked proud to be getting a job of such supreme importance. "I'll make sure they're well and safe," Luke promised.  
  
"Take care of yourself too," I added. I kissed him on the cheek, and he wiped it away in mock-disgust. I let out a carefree laugh. "I love you, Luke."  
  
"Me too," Luke said, embarrassed. I let him down, and he went to Padmé. "Oh, and Dad?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"When you're gone, if you see Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen . . . will you tell them I'm all right? Aunt Beru worries."  
  
"I'll do more than that, Luke. When I get back, we can all go visit your aunt and uncle. How does that sound?" I suggested. Luke's eyes lit up in joy.  
  
There was Leia left now. She was still watching me with those intelligent brown eyes that showed she was well beyond her years. I picked her up too and spun her around in a circle so that her long, elaborate dress rippled in the air. Once I was done acting like a little kid, I cradled her close to my body. "Don't grow up too much while I'm gone, Leia," I whispered.  
  
She nodded solemnly. One tear fell down her cheek, but she still didn't speak.  
  
I hugged her tightly. "I love you so much, Leia. Remember that."  
  
"I love you too, Daddy," she finally said, flinging her arms around my neck. I held her for a long time, until Bail announced loudly that it was time to go. I kissed her on the head and let her down. I ruffled Luke's hair and couldn't help giving Padmé one last farewell kiss.  
  
As I turned around, I saw Sabé. Her eyes were dull as she watched Obi-Wan leave the platform. I reached for her hand and squeezed reassuringly. "Take care of my family, Sabé."  
  
"Only if you take care of Obi-Wan."  
  
"I'll bring him back safe and sound."  
  
"Thank you, Ani." She gave me a smile that warmed my heart.  
  
Then there was Yoda. He was watching me closely. "Many triumphs you will have," he said matter-of-factly. "Meditate for you, I will."  
  
I grinned at him. "Thank you, Master."  
  
That was the last of it. I turned and sprinted to the huge ship we were all traveling in. All of the people of importance, at least. There were two dozen other ships for our uses. I turned around on the rising platform to watch my family. Luke was waving fiercely at me.  
  
I turned around to see Obi-Wan there, watching Sabé intently. "We're going to make it through this time," he said. He gave me a pointed look. "I'll see to it."  
  
I nodded, regarding his expression carefully. "This time we go in as a team, and we leave as a team."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled at me. I returned the smile. Despite my melancholy over leaving my family, there was a faint thrill that vibrated inside of me. This was what I had become a Jedi for. As the ship accelerated, both Obi- Wan and I left the platform. We were ready to begin this fight. We were ready to end what had sprung up so many years before.  
  
What I didn't know as I walked with Obi-Wan was that there was something back on Aldeeran that might have made me stay, that might have kept me from the danger I was about to face, the final battle with Vader that was soon to take place.  
  
Back on Aldeeran, Padmé's womb was blossoming with my child.  
  
THE END -- TO BE CONTINUED IN: CHAINED TO YOU: BOOK FOUR -- COMPLICATED  
  
Author's Notes and Thank Yous: I hope that none of you feel cheated out of an ending, because this is how it's been planned in my head for awhile. All fics must end sooner or later. As you may be able to tell by the cliffhanger ending, this really isn't the end of this adventure. Hopefully soon I will start Complicated, Book Four of my Chained to You series. It will start where this one ended, and it will have all of the characters' points of views.  
  
Thank to all of you that have reviewed, and all of you that are still reading after the long bouts of time it took me to update. This was one of my favorite fictions ever. Walking away from this, I feel like I can relate to Anakin a bit more, after being inside his head, and I hope you feel that same way. I will cherish all reviews and compliments and words that helped me get through to this point.  
  
I will see you again, hopefully, in the next chapter of the Skywalkers' lives. (And all of the other characters who get to help star in it.)  
  
~Haley J. The Bat 


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